What Remains
by laloga
Summary: Two teams of Jedi and their apprentices are sent to a distant planet to resolve issues with a galactic terrorist. What ensues will change the lives of both Padawans forever. Featuring my OC, Kalinda Halcyon and Obi-Wan Kenobi. I don't own anything.
1. Chapter 1

**_Author's Note: This is the "origin story" of my OC, Kalinda Halcyon. I created her when I was about 16, after I watched TPM for the first time. She's gone through a lot of changes since then, and I am fairly happy with the result. If you have read either _Old Wounds_ or _Bomb in a Birdcage_, you already know her as an adult, but this is a glimpse of Kali as a teenager. Enjoy!_**

**_We are not saints , but seekers._-Jedi axiom**

_History has no beginning, and has no end; there are only markers, significant moments in our lives that we recall later, either in records or our own memories, that give us some sense of where we stand in the scope of the universe. However, as someone who claims to study history's course, I have often asked myself where to begin? I have lived through some of the most turbulent times in galactic history; I feel that it would take several lifetimes to fully comprehend everything that I have witnessed, yet I have only this one. _

_Though greater minds than mine have tackled these arduous subjects, I shall attempt to add to this immense wealth of information my own story-not terribly important, in of itself-which features some of the better-known figures of the Old Republic, of the infamous Clone Wars, and of the Jedi Order. It is my hope that with these words, stored on the Great Holocron, future generations of Jedi Knights may come to a more complete understanding and awareness of the ways of the Force. _

_There are so few of us now, where we once numbered in the thousands. We are scattered grains of sand falling from an open palm, drifting and barren. Yet I know that the Jedi are not extinct. The Force has not abandoned its loyal children to the Dark Side; I know this to be true. It is almost my greatest wish to aid any future Jedi in their efforts to re-establish the Order. _

_And so I arrive again to the question at hand...where to begin?_

Part One: Bonds

Music drifted through the Temple, rich harmonies and soaring melodies that seemed to spring from the very Force itself. The sounds were localized in one particular area, the Room of a Thousand Fountains, where a small group of Jedi were creating the music, and a larger number were gathered to listen. Jedi Knight Kit Fisto, a green-skinned Nautolan, was beating an intricate rhythm on a pair of knobby drums, his hands a blur as he kept the heartbeat of the music steady and strong. Master Plo Koon was holding a curved bass cello, creating a rich, deep sound which added a depth to the music and reverberated within the bodies of the listeners and players alike. Jonas Ki was strumming an ion-steel gitar for all he was worth, and his Padawan, Kalinda Halcyon, sat next to him, running a slender bow across the strings of a viol, creating a sound that was filled with remorse and joy. Kit Fisto's apprentice, Bant Eerin added the final layer of melody with a high-pitched, skirling pipe native to her home-world of Mon Calamari.

The other Jedi in the audience were an assortment of Knights, Padawans, unassigned students, and regular staff, and among them Obi-wan Kenobi and Qui-gon Jinn. In fact, the room was almost filled to capacity, as everyone enjoyed listening to the Force-laden music of the group. It had begun as a lesson for the Padawans in playing together, as each was talented in their own way, but were not used to playing with others, and had grown from there. This particular arrangement had been chosen both for its complexity and for its use of the multi-part harmonies that showcased the talents of the Padawans; the sound of Bant's pipes rose up above the heads of those in the crowd, joined moments later by Kalinda's soaring viol, with the Knights keeping up a steady background.

Obi-wan was struck, as he always was, with awe at his friends' musical talent; he was proficient in lightsaber combat, naturally, as well as a host of other "Jedi-like" skills, but music always seemed to elude his grasp. He watched Kalinda, her eyes closed and a smile on her face, as she ran the bow across the strings almost too fast for his eyes to follow. She looked absolutely enraptured, and he felt a thrill run through him, as though the Force itself was growing stronger with the music. Indeed, a glance around showed him that most of the other audience members felt it too, the tangible evidence of the Force-laden music that their fellow Jedi were creating.

His Mon Calamarian friend, Bant, was furiously playing the pipes, and the notes became to come faster and faster, the viol and pipe melody twining around and around one another until they were almost indistinguishable. Kit let out a whoop of joy, and several Padawans in the audience responded in kind.

Beside Obi-wan, his master, Qui-gon, began clapping along to the rhythm, caught up in the wild, skirling melody. Many others followed suit, including Obi-wan, who was still watching Kalinda. She hardly seemed aware of anything besides her instrument, and looked, for a moment, lost and bewildered when the music ended and the instruments were silent. The audience erupted into applauds and whistles, shouts of approval and requests for more. Kalinda found Obi-wan in the crowd and grinned at him when he gave her two thumbs up, before applauding heartily. All the musicians stood up, gave a bow to the crowd before the Knights gestured to their Padawans; Kalinda and Bant grinned at each other and took another bow, hands clasped. The show over, the audience began to disperse and Obi-wan and Qui-gon rose to meet their friends.

"Bant! That was incredible!" Obi-wan hugged the slight girl, who grinned at him briefly before she was called away by another one of the Padawans. He looked at Kalinda, who was carefully placing her viol back in its case. She raised her eyes to his as he approached her, somewhat awkwardly, and smiled again, though it was not the same smile that he had seen while she was playing. "Kali," he said, standing before her. "I always forget how good you are." He wanted to hug her, like he had Bant, but it felt...different somehow-his heart was beating inordinately fast for no apparent reason. Her dark eyes met his and he wondered, as he always did, what she was thinking. His hand stuck out; she looked at it curiously for a moment before wiping her palm on her tunic then placing it in his.

"Sweaty," she said with a nervous smile.

"I really meant it," he continued. "You are-were-amazing."

"Thanks," she began, but was interrupted as Qui-gon approached her, placing a large hand on her shoulder.

"Kalinda, you grow more talented each time I hear you perform. Well done."

Since he dwarfed her by at least two heads her face tilted up to smile at him. "Thank you, Master Qui-gon. It is always an honor to play with such wonderful musicians. Next time you should join us."

"Oh no," he replied with a laugh. "I'm not nearly good enough."

"That's not true in the least," Jonas Ki, Kali's master, approached the small group. He was several centimeters shorter than Qui-gon, lean and compact, with white-blond hair that he kept closely cropped to his head. His light eyes glittered as he came to stand between Kalinda and Obi-wan, and he nudged Qui-gon's arm. "You are quite proficient at a keyboard, if I recall."

"If by proficient, you mean abysmal, than I would have to agree, my friend."

Obi-wan cast a surreptitious look at Kali, who rolled her eyes as if to say, _here they go again._ He hid his chuckle behind his hand and saw her do the same. Suddenly, Jonas' comm unit beeped an alert. He activated it, and the image of Mace Windu appeared before him.

"Master Ki, would you and your Padawan please report to the Council chambers at once? We have an assignment for you."

"Of course, Master," Jonas said. "We'll be there in a moment."

"Very well." Mace paused, then glanced around. "Is Qui-gon with you? We'd like to see him and Obi-wan as well."

"We'll be there as well, Master," Qui-gon replied. The two Jedi nodded to their charges and began to head for the inner chambers of the Temple, stopping only to ask another Jedi to place the instruments in the music room with the others. Kalinda and Obi-wan trailed behind them. Curiosity and anticipation coiled within Obi-wan; he and Qui-gon had been at the Temple for almost three months with no missions, and he found that he was growing restless. Having just turned sixteen two weeks ago, he felt that he was ready for a new challenge.

Kalinda's thoughts seemed to echo his own, for she leaned over to him and whispered in his ear as their masters were speaking quietly to each other ahead of them. "I wonder what this is about. Are they sending all of us on a mission?"

He was distracted for a moment by her warm breath on his ear, but managed to reply after a moment. "I have no idea. I hope so-I've been a bit bored lately...I could do with a little excitement."

"Now you've done it," she said with a sigh. "We're in for a world of trouble now, you just wait."

The Jedi Council chambers were located on the top floor of the center pillar of the Jedi Temple, with the room having a panoramic view of the bustling city-planet of Coruscant. It was dusk and the sun was almost completely down, sending a stream of gold-flecked light into the circular room. Though the chambers were meant to be a place of quiet reflection, Kalinda felt only apprehension when she entered the room, for it was here that so much of her life had been, and would probably be, decided. She tried to calm her thoughts and focus on the matter at hand, as it was very difficult to keep anything from a room of Jedi Masters who could read you like a datapad.

The two Knights and their Padawans came to stand in the center of the chamber, surrounded by the Council members and facing Mace Windu and Master Yoda, the most senior members of the Jedi Order. Kalinda felt, as she always did, apprehensive and unsure of herself before Mace Windu's piercing gaze, though she tried to mask the feelings with a veneer of calm assurance.

"Thank you for coming so quickly," Mace said. "There is a situation that has arisen on the planet of Echothalia which we hope to resolve in a timely manner."

"I'm not familiar with that system," Jonas said. "Is it in the Republic?"

"No," Adi Gallia answered. Her headdress swayed as she shook her head. "The planet has undergone several decades of civil war and has only recently, within the last year, managed to create a stable government, though they have not yet chosen to join the Republic."

Master Windu continued, his voice calm, but serious. "During the last six weeks, there have been an increasing number of deadly and destructive terrorist attacks, growing more so with each passing day, and threatening the fragile peace. The Prime Minister, Nereus, petitioned the Senate yesterday to intervene."

"He has offered Echothalia's allegiance to the Republic if we resolve the issue in a timely manner," Ki-Al Mundi added. "The world is known for an abundance of healing plants and lipids; it would be a great boon to the people of the Republic if they would share their resources."

Jonas nodded thoughtfully. "What are the nature of the attacks? Who is behind them?"

"That is exactly why we requested you, Master Ki," Mace Windu replied. "The terrorist recently posted a video of himself on the planet's holo-channel. He calls himself Non. You encountered him on Dantooine, did you not?"

At the mention of the name, Kali felt Jonas tense beside her even as he nodded. "Yes. He was ruthless and cunning, though his motives were unclear."

"Everyone has a motive," Adi Gallia replied. "Perhaps you will discover it this time, and be able to stop him before more innocents are harmed."

"Non is unpredictable and extraordinarily intelligent," Jonas said, nodding. "But I learned much from our last encounter. I believe that we can bring him to justice."

"Sending Qui-gon and Obi-wan with you, we are," Yoda added. "Our own measure of unpredictability, we will add."

"Your assistance will be most welcome," Jonas said, glancing at Qui-gon, who gave a slight nod. "Try as he might, Non cannot hide his intent from the living Force, no matter how he may fool beings of flesh and blood."

"You are scheduled to leave at first light, and I'll send you the full report, along with your accounts of the encounter at Dantooine," Mace Windu said with a nod of dismissal. "May the Force be with you." The Jedi and their Padawans bowed, then turned to exit the chamber in silence.

* * *

"Echothalia is located on the Outer Rim, about twelve parsecs from Ansion," Kalinda said, the light of the Archives computer casting a blue glow on her face. "It should take us about two days to reach it, even with the hyperlanes."

Obi-wan stifled a yawn. "Two days? Really? That seems a bit long."

"It's not a very established route," she explained, her eyes on the screen. "They don't want us to get lost on the way."

"I'd think that we'd be fine, regardless," he replied, glancing at the clock above the door to the Archives. "Kalinda, it's nearly midnight...how much more research do you plan on doing?"

She cast him an irritated glance. "It's not a crime to be well-informed, you know. I just don't want to overlook anything that might be useful." Even so, she leaned her arms above her head and stretched. "Besides, if you're tired, you can go to bed."

He watched her movements, and felt that strange stirring that had been coming up with more frequency of late. After a moment, he shrugged. "I think that Master Qui-gon would agree with you. And we can always sleep on the way." They were quiet for a minute, before he spoke again. "Did Jonas tell you about this 'Non' person?"

She shook her head, her eyes still on the screen. "He faced him about five years ago. I was too young to accompany him on such a dangerous mission, so he left me here. He never wanted to talk about it, which was odd, for him. Usually we talk about everything...However," she looked up at him, a familiar gleam of satisfaction in her eye. "I've done a bit of digging, and learned about our adversary."

"And...?" he prompted.

"'Non' is short for 'non-entity' or 'non-partisan,' according to the Archives. He has no known planetary affiliation, no familial or faction ties, and no history. He causes chaos for chaos' sake, at least, that's what Jonas' report said."

Obi-wan sighed. "Sounds like a nice fellow."

She nodded, brushing her Padawan braid behind her ear. "I don't think this mission will be easy."

"Your master seems fairly confident that we can handle it," he countered. "And we are four to his one. We must have faith in our skills and those of our Masters."

"I know," she replied. "You're probably right." She absently toyed with her braid, lost in her own musings.

Obi-wan watched her, and he felt his heart racing again, as well as a strange sensation in the pit of his stomach. _She'll never understand how beautiful she is, _he thought suddenly, studying the way her long, nearly back hair escaped from the leather thong she had gathered it in and tumbled down her back. As if sensing his thoughts, she rose her eyes to meet his and he felt the Force thrumming through him as though he were in deep meditation. His eyes widened. She seemed to sense it too, then, as if on impulse, she leaned forward and kissed him. Just once, on the lips, causing a thrill to run through his entire body. When they parted she gave a little smile at his look of bewilderment.

"I just wanted to know what it would be like," she said quietly, her cheeks pink.

"I'm not sure I got it," he managed to say after a moment, giving her a grin. "Can we go again?"


	2. Chapter 2

As Qui-gon was packing the last of his supplies, the chime on his door sounded.

"Come in." Qui-gon turned and smiled when he saw his friend and colleague, Jonas Ki. "I'm about ready," he said, closing the case. "Have a seat."

The other man nodded absently as he entered the room, but remained standing, clearly lost in thought. Finally, he looked at Qui-gon, his expression grave. "Do you know where your Padawan is, Qui-gon?"

The larger man shrugged. "He said that he was going to the Archives, to read up on Echothalia. I warned him not to be up too late, but..."

"That's where Kali is too," Jonas interrupted. "Have you noticed anything about their recent behavior towards each other?"

Qui-gon shook his head. "Nothing alarming," he said cautiously.

Jonas sighed and ran his hand through his white-blond hair. "It might just be me...but I sense something growing between them that is more than a friendship."

"They've known each other for a long time," Qui-gon pointed out. "It is expected that their bond will be strong."

"This is more than that, Qui-gon," Jonas replied, shaking his head. "I can sense it with Kali, at least. Her thoughts dwell on Obi-wan, constantly. And they are growing more...familiar in their mannerisms."

Qui-gon was silent for a moment, thinking over Obi-wan's behavior the last few weeks. He recalled the concert, earlier that day, when Obi-wan had acted almost...shy to hug his friend after her performance. "Do you think that they are involved in a romantic relationship?" he said at last.

"I can hardly say," Jonas replied. "But if it hasn't happened yet, then I feel very strongly that it is going to happen, unless we put a stop to it."

"Agreed," Qui-gon said, nodding. "I think it is a more serious matter than they realize." _And Obi-wan should know better, _he thought, remembering his own grief over the loss of his beloved Tahl. _He was right there with me through all of that; I cannot believe that he'd want to embark on such a journey of his own. _"We'll have to be vigilant during the course of this mission, my friend," Qui-gon added. "What kind of transport do we have?"

"An E class, I believe," Jonas replied. "Why?"

"See if you can't get a J class instead," Qui-gon said. "They're smaller."

Jonas smiled. "Easier to keep an eye on things?"

"Indeed. We'll have to bunk together, except for Kali, but that should make it difficult for them to find any time alone together. Just in case things have progressed to that point."

"Excellent idea," he said with a nod to Qui-gon. "Even if it weren't against the Code, she's much too young for such a...diversion. Hopefully we can keep them apart. We should try and talk to them and discover the extent of the situation. It's probably just a passing fancy, anyway."

Qui-gon put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "We can only hope, Jonas."

* * *

"Kind of small, isn't it?" Kalinda said as the two teams approached the ship.

"It will get us where we need to go," Jonas replied evenly, not meeting Qui-gon's eyes.

Since the Jedi were going to take turns piloting the vessel, there was no need for a pilot, and soon they were joining the queue to exit the planet's atmosphere, with Obi-wan and Kalinda at the helm for the first part of the journey.

"Well, Kalinda," Jonas said, leaning against the door to the cockpit. "Since you're the lone feminine presence, it looks like you'll be getting your own room. The rest of us will have to share."

She grinned at him. "Fine with me." To Obi-wan she said, "I recommend earplugs-he snores."

"You have no idea," Obi-wan muttered, glancing at Qui-gon, who gave him a stern look. The Padawans chuckled to one another, and their Masters exchanged amused glances.

"What did you learn at the Archives last night, Kali?" Jonas said as Obi-wan maneuvered the vessel towards the one of the hyperlanes that coalesced above Coruscant.

"Echothalia is a pretty interesting place," she said, her voice taking on a rhythmic lilt. "The planet is almost completely covered with water-only about ten percent of it is land mass-with most of that being taken up with the main city of Jerlach. The inhabitants are semi-aquatic humanoids, who live primarily in underwater caverns that they have altered to suit their needs, using a form of hydrostatic field technology that creates large pockets of atmosphere.

"It used to have one ruler, a president, but about a century ago the last presidential elections were opposed by the two warring factions. The elections were stalled, then halted altogether as they fought for power," she continued. "Finally, the mayor of the main city of Jerlach-a woman named Hestra-managed to renew the practice of free and just elections, which pretty much ended the civil war and has brought about relative peace. If it weren't for all of the bombings," she added as an afterthought. "However, tensions are starting to run high again, and the current Prime Minister is faltering under the pressure."

"Typical," Obi-wan sighed. "This will be fun."

"Actually, I'm excited to see this place," Kalinda countered, turning to him. "From the images I saw, it's going to be breathtaking, and the food is rumored to be top-notch. That should get your attention, anyway."

As if on queue, his stomach let out a growl, and they both laughed. Having breached the atmosphere of Coruscant, Obi-wan checked the coordinates and entered them, watching in satisfaction as the stars seemed to tunnel around them when the ship slipped into hyperspace. He cast her another look, an eyebrow raised. "How do you know about the food, anyway?"

She shrugged. "It's common knowledge, Obi-wan."

"It's not common knowledge if you stay up all night studying the Archives," he pointed out. "Why do you need to know all that? It doesn't exactly pertain to the mission."

"All knowledge is worth having," she replied slyly, arching her eyebrow at him.

"Kalinda," Jonas said suddenly. "I think that we should meditate on the mission ahead. Qui-gon and Obi-wan can handle things up here, for now." He placed his hand on her shoulder and she nodded, rising to follow him out of the cockpit.

When they had left, Qui-gon took a seat beside his Padawan, and they watched the stars stream past the viewscreen. Obi-wan felt that he would never grow tired of looking at the stars, and he spoke this feeling to Qui-gon, who echoed the sentiment.

"The galaxy is a vast and marvelous place," the older Jedi reflected. "There are infinite things to discover and to learn."

"You sound like Kali," Obi-wan said with a smile. "She's always going on about all that. When she's not burying herself in the Archives, that is."

Qui-gon was quiet for a moment before he broached the subject. "You seem pleased that the Council selected us to go on this mission with Jonas and Kalinda."

Obi-wan shrugged. "I've known her a long time, Master. We work well together, and Master Ki is a skilled negotiator; I'm anxious to see him in action."

"Obi-wan, I need to ask you a question," Qui-gon said suddenly. He felt Obi-wan tense beside him and chose his next words very carefully. "I don't want to mince words, but I do need you to be honest with me."

"I am always honest with you, Master," Obi-wan said cautiously.

Qui-gon nodded. "I know, and I appreciate that. However, it has come to my attention that there is a growing...bond between you and Kalinda. Have you felt this?"

Obi-wan nodded slowly, but made no response. Qui-gon continued. "It is no crime to be friends with a fellow Jedi, as you know, but there is a certain degree of danger if that friendship strays into an attraction. In addition to being expelled from the Order, a Jedi can loose all sight of what's important in the glow of an infatuation, and terrible things can result from that."

After a pause, Obi-wan looked at his master, his expression thoughtful. "Are you referring to what happened between you and Tahl, Master?"

Qui-gon swallowed thickly at the mention of her name, but nodded. "I was blinded by my love, by my attachment to her; everything else fell away, and I would have thrown away my whole life just to get revenge for her death." He smiled sadly at his apprentice. "That is not a fate I want for you, Obi-wan."

"I care for Kali very much," Obi-wan said after a moment. "But my commitment to the Order comes first, as does hers. We don't want to jeopardize that."

Sighing heavily, Qui-gon leaned back in his chair. "I'm glad to hear it."

* * *

"You don't really want to meditate now, do you?" Kalinda said as she and Jonas settled down at the seating cushions in the galley. "You hate to meditate in hyperspace-it makes you ill."

He smiled at her. "Meditation is an integral part of a Jedi's life, Kalinda."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, master."

"But since you mention it," he said, looking at her. "I don't feel like meditating now. Let's talk instead."

_This is drifting into dangerous territory, _she thought, nodding. "Okay. About anything in particular?"

"Obi-wan."

Her stomach dropped a little. "What about him?"

"You care for him, don't you?"

"Well, he's my oldest and best friend," she replied. "Of course I care for him. You care for Qui-gon, don't you?"

"Not the way that you care for Obi-wan, and he cares for you." Though his voice was even, she could tell that he was not pleased.

"I think that you're over-thinking it," she said suddenly, feeling heat rush to her cheeks.

"I think you're not thinking enough," he replied. "I know you, Kali. I can tell that you think about him, constantly, and that the way you care for him is more than for a friend." He put his hand over hers, and looked at her. "I just want you to be careful," he added. "You are young yet, for all of the knowledge that you've garnered, and...well, that is a road that I am reluctant to see you travel down."

She was silent for a moment, shaking her head. "But you..."

"I've made my choices," he replied, his eyes fixed on hers. "And I don't regret _anything _that I've done. But you are still so young; there will be enough choices for you to make, without this one."

"I don't believe this conversation," she said, rising from the table. Seeing his expression, she added. "I'm not about to forfeit my place in the Jedi Order, so you can know that, at least. As for the rest, well...I can't change how I feel, _Master_. I thought that you, of all people, would understand that." With that, she slipped out of the room.

* * *

The next day passed in uneasy silence. Kalinda buried herself in the datapads that she'd brought, or strummed the small dulcimer that she traveled with, while Obi-wan and Qui-gon spent most of the time playing dejarik. Jonas meditated. At one point, when Qui-gon rose to go to the restroom, Kali looked up from her dulcimer, still strumming, and caught Obi-wan's eye. He raised his brow inquisitively, and she rolled her eyes towards Jonas, whose back was to them. Obi-wan shrugged, and nodded towards the direction that Qui-gon had gone, shaking his head slightly. Kalinda gave him a sly grin, and glanced over at the door to her cabin, raising her eyebrows. After a moment, Obi-wan nodded slightly, and looked back down at the dejarik board, a grin on his face. Qui-gon re-entered the room several moments later, and the game resumed.

That night, Kalinda lay awake on her bunk, staring at the blackness of space that lay beyond her window. She glanced at the time. _Soon, I hope, _she thought, images of Obi-wan flickering in her mind. As if on queue, there was a faint tap at her door, and she was beside it in an instant. "Yes?"

"It's me," Obi-wan's voice was barely a whisper.

Kali opened the door and he slipped in quietly, embracing her the moment that the door closed. They studied each other for a moment, grinning, before going to sit next to one another on the small bunk. "How'd you get away?"

He rolled his eyes. "Dinner didn't agree with me so well; I've been spending a lot of time in the restroom this evening."

"Devious," she giggled. They leaned forward and kissed. Kalinda felt all of her apprehension melting away as he embraced her, as they grew lost in each other. She felt wholly and utterly _right, _as though she was made to kiss him, and he her. _I feel like, if we could see it, the Force would be glowing all around us. _She thought that he felt it too, for his hands sought her hair, her face, her back, her hips, his kisses grew more insistent, and she felt her own body responding in kind. Finally, she let out a soft moan and he pulled back, listening intently.

"What?" she said, her voice breathless.

He paused, then shook his head. "Nothing. I thought that I heard something at the door." He smiled at her and her heart skipped a beat. "Where were we?"

Just as they were about to kiss again, there was a quiet knock at Kali's door. She and Obi-wan exchanged resigned glances, before she cleared her throat. "Yes?"

"I'm looking for Obi-wan," Qui-gon's voice was pleasant and conversational. "Have you seen him? I think he might need medical attention-he's been in the bathroom for quite a while."

* * *

"But Master-"

"No, Kalinda," Jonas' voice was firm. "I tried to give you privacy, and you proved that you cannot handle the responsibility. You both have acted shamefully, to be frank."

"Did you think that we wouldn't figure it out?" Qui-gon said to Obi-wan, who flushed, but resolutely met his master's eyes. "If you had spent that much time on the toilet, you'd be short a few meters of intestinal tract, my very young apprentice."

"Yes, Master," Obi-wan said, his voice quiet. Qui-gon almost felt sorry for him, he looked so miserable.

Jonas paced back and forth before them, his arms crossed. "I don't know what else to do with you two," he said. "Going back isn't an option; so we'll just have to continue on. But I swear on all that is holy, you will not touch her again, Obi-wan."

"Master, I'm just as much to blame as Obi-wan," Kalinda said. "It takes two to tango."

"I never want to hear you say that again," Jonas said, pinching his fingers to the bridge of his nose.

"Jonas," Qui-gon said, rising to place a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Perhaps we should assign them to stay at the helm for the rest of our journey. I think that they can keep their attention on the steering of the ship while we have a game of dejarik?"

Obi-wan and Kalinda gave each other a relieved look before slipping out of the room silently. Jonas took a deep breath, and lowered his hand. He looked at Qui-gon, and shook his head. "What are we going to do?"

Qui-gon said nothing, activating the dejarik table instead, and motioning his friend to have a seat across from him. After a moment, Jonas did so, albeit reluctantly. As they arranged the pieces, Qui-gon glanced over at him. "I feel that you need to be more careful, Jonas. You walk a difficult line with her."

Jonas sighed, and ran his hand through his hair. "I know. But...it's challenging. And she's grown up so fast. I still think of her as a little girl, I suppose."

"Despite all of that," Qui-gon continued. "You're a Jedi, as she will be one day. Our path is often a difficult one." His expression softened. "I, too, look at Obi-wan sometimes, and wonder what happened to the gangly boy that I met three years ago."

"But it's different with Obi-wan."

Qui-gon shook his head. "You cannot think of it like that, Jonas. The consequences are too severe. You must think of her only as your Padawan learner. It's as much for her sake, as it is for yours."

Jonas stared at the board. "She knows."

"How long has she known?"

"For a few years," the blond man replied. He met Qui-gon's questioning look. "I took her to see her mother, who was very ill. I thought that it was important for Kali to see her, at least once." He paused. "She looks just like Kamala."

Qui-gon made no response for a while, before he let out a sigh and shook his head. "I'm sorry, I didn't know...I probably would have done the same. But it will be that much harder for her, in the end."

Jonas shook his head. "She was so calm about it, when she found out-she told me later that a part of her had always known the truth. And she knows what will happen if the Council discovers that truth."

"That is a heavy burden for her," Qui-gon said gently. "I'm glad that she has your strength."

"She'll need it," Jonas replied, glancing at the door to the cockpit. "But it was her mother who was the strong one."


	3. Chapter 3

The planet of Echothalia shimmered azure in the viewscreen, reflecting a similar light across the faces of the two Padawans as they bent across the ship's controls, focused on piloting the small vessel.

"This is the Republic ship, J-1138, requesting permission to begin landing procedure," Kalinda said into the comm unit.

There was silence.

Kalinda furrowed her brow, and tried again, to no avail. She glanced at the display, then looked at Obi-wan. "I'm not picking up traces of any power source on the scanners. It's as if they don't even _have _power...that's not a good sign"

"No, it isn't," he agreed, and flicked the comm unit that would reach the galley of the vessel, where Qui-gon and Jonas were located. "Masters," he said. "We're about to land, but...there might be a problem."

Moments later, both Jedi were in the cockpit, their eyes on the planet before them. "That doesn't bode well," Jonas said wryly after Kalinda explained what had happened.

Qui-gon looked troubled. "I sense that the situation is more serious than the Council realizes."

"Shall I wait to land until we've contacted the Temple, Master?" Obi-wan asked.

Jonas shook his head. "No. I think we should continue on with our original plan, though we must use extreme caution, especially since communications are probably down on the surface." He looked at Qui-gon. "I feel that we must keep up the appearance that the Council sent only myself and Kali; you and Obi-wan should stay hidden, for now, though I have little doubt that you will be needed before too long."

"In that case," Qui-gon said. "We'll keep nearby."

"Not too close," Jonas replied. "Non can be remarkably perceptive...I don't want him to have any idea that there are two teams of Jedi on Echothalia."

"But how will we know if they need help, if our comms won't work?" Obi-wan asked, glancing at Kali.

Qui-gon put a hand on his Padawan's shoulder, and nodded at Jonas. "We'll use the Force, my young apprentice. Jonas and I can communicate rather effectively, under certain circumstances. Bring us down in the main city, Obi-wan. I don't want to push our luck with the spaceport."

Nodding, Obi-wan began to pilot the craft through the atmosphere and to an open area that seemed to be centrally located in the city of Jerlach, which was itself a relatively small island on the vast ocean that covered most of the planet.

As they descended, Kalinda took a moment to observe the layout and appearance of the city. _It must have been lovely, once, _she thought, gazing at the battered structures. They were beautifully wrought, intricate buildings, or at least they had been at one time. Now, tiles were shattered, tall windows were covered with a patchwork of tarps, and stone was cracked and missing large chunks. There was little vegetation, and most of it was sparse and frail-looking, though remnants of massive parks and gardens could be seen from the organization of the trees and shrubs that did remain.

Once the ship had landed, Jonas and Kali gathered their packs and proceeded to disembark, the taste of the salty sea in the air around them. As she slipped off of the ship, Kali cast a glance back at Obi-wan, whose eyes were on her. She gave him a small wave, and he returned the gesture as the ship's loading ramp closed.

Suddenly, the sounds of footfalls and shouts met their ears, and Kali reached for her lightsaber automatically, though she was stopped by Jonas, who stretched out his hand to hers. "Wait, Kali," she heard him whisper.

A group of Echothalians was approaching them, brandishing blasters, vibro-blades, and hostile expressions. Most of them stood at least a head taller than Jonas, and their skin was dark blue, with pale white or gray hair braided atop their heads. They formed a loose circle around the Jedi, weapons raised, and one of them, a woman about five years Kali's senior, clutching an older model blaster in one hand, stepped forward, her eyes narrowed sharply.

"Who are you? Why have you come to our planet?"

Jonas spread his hands in a gesture of peace. "I am Jonas Ki, a Jedi Knight, and this is my Padawan Learner, Kalinda Halcyon. Our presence has been requested by Prime Minister Nereus, to settle a conflict with a terrorist named Non."

The woman scowled. "That sniveling dung heap summoned you? I find that hard to believe." She shifted, and Kali noticed that her free arm was hanging limply at her side.

"I have our orders, if you'd like to validate them," Jonas replied, his voice even. "After that, perhaps we can all meet with Nereus to discuss the matter?"

"Discuss what? There is no time for talk, only action," a boy in the crowd, who looked to be a few years younger than Kali, shouted. "We're all being played like fools. Non has destroyed our city, and our lives. We have no power, no communications...no hope."

"There is always hope," Jonas said as he looked at him, and Kali could detect a hint of sorrow in his words as he took in the boy's condition; like the others, he was skinny and wan, with sunken, fear-filled eyes and threadbare clothes. His hair, which should have been neatly coiled and braided around his head, was limp and dirty, hanging about his face. "Kali and I are here to help you."

The crowd was silent for a moment, before the woman who'd spoken to them initially burst out into a bitter laugh. "You speak of hope, and say that you come to our aid, _Jedi_, but I think that it is you who will need help. You have no idea what you've gotten yourselves into."

"Is there a problem, Rella?" A new, masculine voice spoke up, and everyone turned in surprise to see the newcomer. Like the others, he was a tall, muscular humanoid male, though he appeared to be better provisioned than his people, though not by much. Flanking him was a contingent of security staff and several assistants, though their appearance echoed that of the city; their uniforms were frayed and torn, the weapons looked dull and in disrepair, and their eyes shifted around the surroundings warily.

Rella glared at him. "Have you come out of your hidey-hole at last, Nereus?"

"These Jedi are here to help us," he replied, though Kali could sense a strong feeling of apprehension emanating from him. "If you'd stand down, we can get to business..."

"No! Enough talk!" Rella spat the words, her voice harsh. "We want action, not words! We want Non-dead!" A cheer rose from the crowd, who were slowly pressing in on the Jedi and Nereus.

Kali looked at Jonas, uneasiness trickling in her belly. _What are we going to do? _She thought. Jonas waited for the crowd to quiet, and cleared his throat.

"I understand your concern, all of you," he said, his voice carrying across the plaza. "Non is a cunning and dangerous criminal, who must not be underestimated. And I say again: the Jedi are here to find him, and bring him to justice...but we must first speak with the man who summoned us here." He gestured to Nereus, who looked nervous. "All I ask from you," he continued. "Is your patience and understanding. We are here to help." As he spoke, Kali began to feel some of the tension easing; she could see that some people's grips on their weapons loosened, and she felt the exhalation of those standing nearby.

Rella still looked skeptical, but she lowered her blaster. "Come on," she said at last. "Let's get off the street." She began to walk towards one of the buildings, and most of the others followed, though some went off in other directions.

Nereus gave a huge sigh of relief, and bowed solemnly to the Jedi, who returned the motion smoothly. "Welcome to Jerlach. I would like to say that I speak for all of the people of Echothalia when I say that the presence of Jedi Knights means a great deal to us all. But, as you saw, that is not the case." He extended a thick hand, which was covered in brilliant blue and white circular tattoos, in an Echothalian greeting. "Come, I have arranged a meeting place. It isn't safe here." He motioned for the Jedi to follow him, and the party began walking towards one of the less-ruined structures beyond the open space.

"How long has it been like this?" Jonas said as they walked.

Nereus hesitated. "It began about six weeks ago, though, in the last fortnight, things have gotten quite out of hand. I'm at a loss...You will soon understand."

At these words, Kali felt a flicker of apprehension run through her, and she glanced at Jonas, whose eyes met hers. The group made their way inside the building, to an inner room that consisted only of a few, rickety chairs placed at intervals throughout the space, as well as several more attendants and armed guards that stood along the perimeter. The unease in the room was palpable. Kalinda felt over two dozen pairs of eyes on the Jedi as they made for the seats in the center of the room.

As soon as everyone had taken a seat, the Prime Minister nodded to one of the attendants, who came forward with a tray of dry cakes and tea, offering it to the Jedi first. Kali remembered reading that the rules of hospitality were quite stringent, and noted how Nereus made sure that each of his guests was offered food and drink before any formal business was conducted, despite the fact that the necessities were in short supply. _I think I admire him, _she thought, sipping the tea, which was sweet, though mild. _It is a heavy burden that he bears. _

Nereus cleared his throat and glanced at Jonas, whose expression was carefully neutral. "I have to tell you," he said quietly, looking at the floor. "I've not been entirely forthright with you."

Jonas nodded, much to Kali's surprise. "I suspected as much. There is much fear in you, Minister, and I sense that it extends beyond fear for your people or your world."

The Minister swallowed heavily, and ran his hand across his face. "I received word shortly before you arrived," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "He has them. Non has kidnapped my wife and son."

Kali's eyes widened, but Jonas merely nodded again. "What are his demands?"

"You are willing to negotiate with a terrorist?"

"I simply want the facts, Minister," the Jedi replied. "I can take no action until you tell me everything that you know."

"But he has them...he's doing unspeakable things to my darling Hestra as we speak! And little Corrus must be terrified...you _must_ act!" Nereus' voice had risen sharply, and Kali could see that he was trembling.

"We will help you," she said. "But you will help your family most by remaining calm, and telling us what you know." Jonas glanced at her, and she could see the glow of approval in his eyes.

Nereus nodded. "You are right. You are both right. I apologize; my nerves are frayed. It feels like we have had nothing but chaos here for too long." He took several deep breaths before he continued. "Before we lost power, he sent me a message that said...well, it would be best if you just saw it." He motioned to one of the assistants, who came forward with a holocom disk, and activated it, holding it before the Jedi.

An image appeared: two Echothalians, a woman and a small boy-the Minister's family, Kali assumed-were bound and gagged, their eyes looking fearfully upwards. Behind them, a figure appeared, though he was only visible from the chest down. "Greeeeetings, Minister," the figure spoke, placing a gauntleted hand on the head of the woman. His voice has a strange lilt, as though he was singing, or reciting a nursery rhyme. "Your lovely wife and I were having a chat-not that I really take much stock in the ramblings of your kind-and she told me that you have some _special _guests coming to visit."

He paused, and gave a little giggle, as though delighted. "_Jedi, _she says. I _love _Jedi...they're so much fun!" His hand tightened, and the woman's eyes rolled back in her head. Kali felt sick; the woman's fear was palpable, even through the hologram. "I have some..._matters _I'd like to discuss with this Jedi," Non continued conversationally. "I've arranged a little party for us in the Caverns: just me and the Jedi-and his little student-no one else. None of your 'security guards,' okay? That would make me angry...and you don't want to see me angry. You tell them that I'll see them there, _soon_." He gave a low chuckle, and the transmission cut off, leaving the room in silence.

Nereus put his face in his hands, and Kalinda felt a fresh wave of sympathy for him, which was immediately followed by a flash of fear as she recalled the transmission. She looked at Jonas; he had not moved the entire time, and he was still, even now. Finally he looked at Nereus.

"To what caverns is he referring?"

"The only ones that are accessible from Jerlach are the Dureno Caverns," Nereus replied, a grim look on his face. "But you can only reach them by traveling underwater, which is rather dangerous for offworlders...do you have some kind of breathing apparatus?"

Jonas nodded. "We're equipped. If you could give us the location of the caverns, we will take care of the rest."

The Minister sighed. "Very well. But I warn you-use extreme caution."

"Of course, Minister," Jonas replied, getting to his feet. "I'm not about to underestimate Non again."

* * *

Obi-wan's legs were starting to cramp, and he tried to stretch them out, a task made difficult given the nature of his and Qui-gon's hiding place. They had managed to sneak off of the ship while Jonas diverted the attention of the civilians, and had soon found a place to hide: a rickety, old transport wagon that looked like it had seen better days. Qui-gon had been pleased to discover that its repulsors were still functioning, which meant that it could be moved, though Obi-wan had examined the mold on the tarp that covered the top and rust on the machine dubiously.

Already they had been here for what felt like too long. Obi-wan glanced at his master, who was hunched over, deep in meditation. He was supposed to be doing the same, but concern for Kali combined with his own discomfort kept his mind from focusing. He sighed.

One of Qui-gon's eyes opened slightly, and Obi-wan made another attempt to clear his mind and meditate, hoping to avoid a lecture. He took deep, calming breaths-ignoring the smell of mildew and rusted metal-and imagined his worries as thousands upon thousands of grains of sand, draining from his mind as if from an hourglass. Soon he no longer felt the discomfort in his legs, and his mind relaxed. _Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. _Suddenly, he heard Kalinda's voice, as though she were whispering in his ear: _Dureno Caverns. _His eyes opened, and he glanced around the cramped space, disoriented. He looked at Qui-gon, whose eyes were also open, though he did not appear to be concerned.

"You felt it too?" he asked Obi-wan.

"That was incredible," the Padawan replied. "It was as if she was speaking directly in my ear. But I don't know where the Dureno Caverns are."

Qui-gon frowned. "I was referring to Jonas-I received a similar thought from him that you received from Kalinda."

"Are we going to go after them?"

"Patience, my young apprentice," Qui-gon answered. "They are leaving us a trail of breadcrumbs to follow, but we cannot interfere until the time is right."

Obi-wan opened his mouth to reply, when, all of a sudden, the canvas door to the transport was ripped open, letting in the gray afternoon light. An unfriendly set of eyes peered inside. "More Jedi? Rella will love this! Come out and show yourselves, you scum!"

* * *

"Master, I think we're lost."

"Patience, Kali. A Jedi is never lost, they simply find their own way."

"We _are _lost; you only say things like that when you aren't sure about something." Kalinda muttered. She held back a groan as she stepped into a pile of something that squished unpleasantly beneath her boot, and tried to wring out her sopping hair again as they made their way through the darkness of the cavern. Though it wasn't pitch black, it was still difficult to see the way and the footing was uncertain and slippery; Kali had almost twisted her ankle on a particularly large hole that she failed to notice. A strange, stippled moss covered the walls of the tunnel, casting a greenish, phosphorescent glow on the rugged pathway, which provided a meager light. "I wish that we didn't have to swim; I'd feel better if my lightsaber was working." Most lightsabers were rendered ineffective by water, an effect that lasted almost half an hour.

"Kalinda," Jonas said, pausing to turn to her. "How much research did you do on Non when we were on Coruscant?"

"I read through all the reports that I could find," she replied. "But they weren't very descriptive; most were borderline cryptic. Even yours. Why?"

He was quiet for a moment, and she sensed that he was debating something within himself. "I shouldn't have brought you," he said after a moment. "It's too dangerous."

She frowned. "Master, I'm sure that-"

"He is ruthless, Kali," Jonas interrupted, his hand on her arm. "On Dantooine, I sensed much turmoil within him, but no anger. And, most dangerous...no fear. He is capable of anything, and everything, though it may not seem like it at first. Do just as I say, and don't try to be a hero. Our mission is to rescue the Minister's family, and bring Non to justice. I want you to focus on the family, and I will handle Non. Can you do that?"

Confused, she nodded. "Of course. And we have Obi-"

He shushed her. "These walls have ears, no doubt," he said softly. Her eyes widened, and she nodded. He put a hand on her cheek. "I know that you will do well, Kali. You have never disappointed me."

Despite the circumstances, she smiled at him, and he at her. After a moment, they continued on. "I don't understand, Jonas; what is it about Non that makes him so dangerous?"

Jonas sighed. "Mostly it is the fact that almost nothing is known about him: no one has been able to figure out his true identity, his home-world, or even his appearance."

"I noticed the cortosis armor."

"Indeed. However, it seems to serve no purpose other than to conceal his figure. I have never heard of him to engage in battle; instead, he creates havoc by use of simple explosive devices, or cruel tricks that end up costing innocents their lives."

Kalinda was thoughtful for a moment. "So, _no one _knows who he is? I'd think that would be difficult to manage..."

"As I said," Jonas replied. "He is cunning, and capable of anything. I myself saw him destroy an entire mining operation on Dantooine with only a few barrels of standard firepower and a deck of sabacc cards."

"Sabacc cards?"

Suddenly, Jonas held up his hand, and Kali froze in place. She could barely make him out in the dim light; his gaze was fixed on the path ahead of them, where a single, red light had started blinking. Kali sensed what he was going to say before he had to say it, and they both leaped backwards as the blast shuddered through the cavern, and sent out a burst of flame where they had stood.


	4. Chapter 4

Qui-gon had not resisted, so Obi-wan hadn't either, though he did not like being manhandled as several strong Echothalians all but pulled them from their hideout. The young man who had discovered them glared at them almost triumphantly as the Jedi were poked and prodded down the street.

Holding up his hands, Qui-gon tried to reason with the boy. "You don't have to force us, we will accompany you without argument...we mean you no harm, my friend. We are here on a mission from the Senate-"

"We've heard all that before," the boy interrupted, rolling his eyes. "Your buddies had the same story, so you can save it." He spat on the ground. "Stinking Jedi."

Obi-wan gave Qui-gon an incredulous look, but Qui-gon remained neutral. "You must let us go. We are here to help free your people from the grip of a terrorist."

Ignoring the Jedi, the boy led them to a battered structure several blocks away, calling out as he approached. "Rella! We've got some more _Republic _visitors." The Jedi were shoved in front of the building, where a woman had come out to see what all the commotion was about. The boy's chest puffed up with pride, and he extended his arm towards his "prisoners." "We found these gundarks skulking around in abandoned cart. They make the same claims as the other two."

Rella looked dubiously at the Jedi, then at the young man. "Soren, why did you bring them to me?" she said with a sigh.

Sensing an opportunity, Qui-gon spoke up. "I understand that you are afraid, Rella. I understand that you feel there is no reason to trust anyone, let alone a faceless government that exist halfway across the galaxy. But all that we are asking is for you to listen. We are not asking for your trust, nor demanding your cooperation. All we ask is for you to listen to us." His words rang through the street, and Obi-wan could see that they had resonated with many of those in the crowd. Soren, though, looked angry.

Rella tilted her head thoughtfully, her eyes flicking from Qui-gon to Obi-wan and back again, though she seemed indecisive. In response, Obi-wan tried to show that he was compassionate. _They are terrified, _he thought. _They have been so for a long time. It's no wonder they will not trust us. They have no reason to._

"Fear has ruled this place for too long," he heard himself saying. "It is time to set it aside and reclaim what is yours. That is what we are here to help you do." He felt a small thrill of elation run through him as Rella nodded slowly.

"Very well, Jedi. Come inside; it seems we have much to discuss." They followed her inside the rickety building, which at one time must have been a market, for there were scattered shelves and displays across the ground that they had to step over.

Leaping after them, Soren paused only to glare angrily at the Jedi, then turned to Rella. "How can you trust them? They are liars, can't you see that?"

"Brother," Rella said with an exasperated sigh. "You're getting on my nerves..." She glared at him, but he looked up at her remorsefully. "Fine," she said. "Come with me, if you're so worried. Just be quiet, okay?"

She led them to the back room, which had once been a warehouse. Now it was filled with broken pallets and upended barrels, with a long table and several chairs in the center. Candles were placed around the room, which provided an ambient, flickering light. Obi-wan and Qui-gon were seated, and Rella handed each of them a pack of juice and a protein bar, insisting that they eat before any business was discussed. As Obi-wan munched the dry bar, he recalled Kali's claim of fine cuisine on the planet, and felt a pang of fear for her. _I hope that she and Jonas are okay, _he thought.

* * *

"Kali, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. You?"

"A few scratches, but nothing serious."

Kalinda picked herself up off of the rock-strewn floor, and squinted in the through the cavern. She could barely make out traces of smoke where the explosion had gone off, but hardly anything else. "That was close," she said, watching as Jonas shook stray bits of rubble out of his cloak.

He nodded, his light hair faintly visible in the darkness. "Come, we must be on the right track if we've come across a trap."

"If he wants to meet us, why set a trap?" Kali's voice echoed in the hollow space, but Jonas made no reply, only stepping forward carefully, making his way through the place where the bomb had gone off. They walked for some time, stopping every few minutes to check for any indication of another explosive device. Finally they reached the end of the tunnel, and, after a few moments of investigation, they discovered a fissure in the rock that looked to be the only way forward.

"I have to say," Kali said as she felt around the fissure's jagged edges. "I'm not thrilled with the idea of climbing through that little hole."

Jonas nodded. "I don't like this," he replied, more to himself than to her. "I'm going to see if I can contact Qui-gon." He closed his eyes, and slipped into a kind of meditation, while Kalinda tried to peer through the gap.

_I wonder what Obi-wan is doing now, _she thought absently, then, on a whim, decided to see if she could reach him as well. Since she wasn't certain exactly _how_ Jonas planned to "contact" Qui-gon, she simply pictured Obi-wan's face in her mind, as if he was next to her. She said his name, and he turned to her, a look of confusion on his features, but then she simply said "Durena Caverns," and he nodded, his expression serious. Her eyes opened. _Did I do it? _She wondered. _It can't be that simple...if it were, Jedi would never need comlinks. _

Jonas was studying her, perplexed. She gave him a small grin. "I was trying to help, though I don't really know what you were doing."

Before he could respond, a bright light appeared suddenly beyond the fissure, nearly blinding them after so long in the darkness. Kali could make out the shadow of a figure approaching them, though she had to crouch down to get a good look. She jumped backward in alarm as a strange, masked visage suddenly appeared in the fissure, a grotesque grin etched in its surface.

"Oh dear, oh dear, did I startle you, sugar?" The voice from the transmission was recognizable, but even if she hadn't heard his voice before, Kali could not have mistaken it for any other. "And I thought that you Jedi were supposed to be unflappable." He giggled again, the high-pitched sound giving her chills of foreboding. "I guess you can be flapped, after all, huh?"

"You know why I've come, Non." Jonas' voice rang out in the darkness, and Kali felt the feeling dissipate. "Let them go, and I will speak with you."

The giggle sounded again, and Kali watched as the figure stepped away from the wall. She and Jonas glanced at each other and were just able to leap backwards and avoid the smaller blast that opened up the fissure, revealing a huge cavern, lit by a series of small, independent lanterns. Jonas entered first, and Kali followed, her hand resting on the hilt of her saber out of habit. The moment that she entered the room, her jaw dropped at the sight met her eyes.

* * *

"I understand that your friend thinks that he can reason with Non," Rella said, folding her legs beneath her has she sat across from Qui-gon. "But I must tell you, it is folly. They will not succeed, and will be lucky to escape with their lives."

"Jonas has dealt with him before," the Jedi replied. "He is more prepared than any other Jedi to handle this matter."

Rella shook her head, and gazed at Soren, who was cleaning one of the blasters with a dirty rag, looking up every now and then to glower at Obi-wan and Qui-gon. "Many people have tried, since he came here. We even formed a special militia that tried to deal with him. They failed. They perished. He is unreasonable, unshakable. He is not like any being I've ever known." She turned her eyes back to the Jedi, and brushed away a tear that had slipped down her cheek. "Our parents were part of the first group of people that tried to catch him. They died when he rigged an explosion that demolished a quarter of the business sector." She patted her limp arm. "That's how I got this, too."

"Why did he come here, to Echothalia?" Qui-gon's voice was gentle, but Rella looked at him blankly.

"Why does he do anything?" she replied. "We don't know. It was as if he threw a dart at a map of the galaxy, and it landed here; so he it was here he came. He has never made any demands, except one."

"What?" Both Jedi leaned forward, and Rella looked at them, confused.

"I thought you knew," she said, glancing between them. "He wanted to meet your fellow Jedi. I have a contact in Nereus' guard: he said that the Minister received a transmission from Non, saying that he had taken Nereus' wife and son hostage, and that he would kill them unless the Jedi met with him."

At this, Qui-gon stood up, as did Obi-wan. "Does the place 'Durena Cavern' sound familiar to you?" Obi-wan asked, after exchanging a glance with his master. "We think that's where they are."

Rella's brow furrowed. "Yes...it's a series of caverns that run below the city-but they've been closed for years-they're unstable and practically unreachable. "

"I can take you there," Soren said suddenly. He had stopped cleaning the blaster several minutes ago, and was listening intently. "I used to poke around them, when I was a kid. I know all kinds of shortcuts."

"Absolutely not," Rella said, shaking her head. "It's too dangerous."

"I agree," Qui-gon added. "Please, just tell us how to get there, and we can do the rest. Don't endanger yourselves any further."

"Come on, sis," Soren said, ignoring Qui-gon. "I want to help. No one ever gets to do anything to stop that gundark." The siblings studied each other for a moment, before Rella sighed, and turned to Qui-gon.

"He's right," she said quietly. "But I must ask that you send him away at the first hint of danger."

The Jedi exchanged a glance. Obi-wan did not feel comfortable putting Soren in danger, and he could see that Qui-gon felt the same. However, it was growing clear that Non had intended all along to encounter Jonas, which meant that the other Jedi were in grave danger. Qui-gon raised his eyebrows at his Padawan, who nodded slightly. The older man nodded as well, and they turned back to Rella and Soren.

"Very well, Soren," Qui-gon said. "We would like you to guide us-but we must leave at once-and you must follow our instructions."

The boy's face broke into a wide grin. "Great! I promise, you'll barely regret it!"

* * *

The Minister's wife and child were tied to one of the protruding stalactites that were suspended from the ceiling of the cave. They were not hanging terribly high up, as the formation was quite long, and they did not appear to be harmed, from what Kali could make out in the dim light, but their terror was palpable and she resolved to help them as quickly as possible. Jonas must have seen them too, but all of his attention was fixed on the figure before them.

Non was not as tall as the image her mind had conjured. He appeared to be humanoid, slim and lanky, though the cortosis armor that he wore added a bit of bulk to his form. There was an incongruously colored, bright green hood over his face, beneath which rested the strange, grinning mask, which was scoured and scratched, and looked to be made of some kind of grayish, matte, metallic substance. He stood with his head cocked to one side, his hands on his hips, with an air of insouciance that somehow added to the gravity of the situation.

He spoke again in that strange, lilting tone. "I'm so glad that you made it-_finally," _he said, clapping his hands in delight. "Dear fellow, I thought I'd never see you again! How have you been since we last met?"

Jonas ignored the question, instead nodding to the prisoners. "Let my companion get them down, and we'll talk."

Non sighed, and shook his head, his hand coming up to his forehead dramatically. "You're no fun at all, Mister Jedi; you need to learn how to reeeelaaax..." He held up a small, blinking device. "If either of you tries anything stupid, it's the end of the road for all of us. You got that, sugar?"

He directed the last sentence at Kali, who simply glowered at him. Non chuckled, and then stepped forward, slowly, approaching the Jedi. Kali tensed, but glanced at Jonas, who remained still. Non stopped in front of her, and she could feel his eyes running along her body. "Nice," he said with a whistle. "You got a pretty student there, Mister Jedi. I'd like to do some Mind Tricks on her..."

"What do you want?" Jonas said sharply, cutting off the terrorist. Kali flinched at his tone; she could hear that he was growing impatient.

If Non picked up on it, he made no indication, he only sighed again, and began tossing the detonator back and forth between his hands. "You Jedi are all the same," he said. "Fools. Blind, stupid, wheedling fools."

Kali felt her heart skip a beat when he almost dropped the device, but he caught it at the last minute before it hit the ground. "Oh, don't even think of using your little 'Force' powers on me, Mister Jedi," he added. "I have many more tricks up my sleeves."

Jonas nodded. "Then stop stalling, Non, and tell me the reason that you summoned us."

"Reason? Reason doesn't have much to do with it, Blondie," Non replied, setting the detonator back in the pocket of his tunic. He began to circle the room, seemingly ignoring them as he began to lecture. "For instance: I don't see any _reason_ for your precious Republic to even exist. Why should it, when it can't even stand in the way of one guy with nothing but determination and a bunch of pretty bombs, hmmm? What's it all in aid of, anyway? Do you ever stop swinging that laser sword around long enough to wonder whoyou are doing all of this work for? The Republic? You think those saps in the Senate give two damns about you and your little minion here? The people? Too stupid to see what's in front of their eyes." He gave a bitter laugh. "You Jedi, you have all this 'power,' but you won't use it. I'd say the Sith have the better idea, but how many of those nerf-herders do you see running around?"

"Part of having 'power,' as you say," Jonas replied, giving Kali the faintest of nods. "Is using it wisely. That is what the Jedi Order strives to do, and the Republic as well." Kali took his signal and began to slowly make her way towards the prisoners, trying to make her movements as discreet as possible. _I could really use you here right now, Obi-wan, _she thought grimly. _Where are they?_

"Bah!" Non said, throwing up his hands. "You all think that you see, but you don't. You're all blind to the truth, which is the biggest joke of all."

"And what would you have us do?" Jonas asked. "Throw out all of our government? Disband the Order and let everyone fend for themselves?"

"Why not?" Non replied. "We're all no better than animals after all. You saw how easy it was to make all those thick-headed sea-swallowers up there lose their minds, and all that took was a little 'kaboom' here and there...all that government does is set people up for disappointment."

Finally, she was beside the stalactite, and was faced with the dilemma of exactly how she was supposed to free the Minister's family. _I wonder if my lightsaber is working yet? s_he thought. _But, even if it was, it would draw too much attention. _She studied the thick cord that he'd used to secure the woman and her child. After a moment, she had an idea, and pulled out a small fuser from her utility belt. Normally, it was a tool used in on-the-fly repair of ships or transports, made to weld together bits of wire that had been separated, but with the right adjustment, she decided that it could be used to sever the bonds.

"Without government," Jonas said, stepping over to Non, forcing his eyes away from where Kali was working. "There would be nothing. Don't you see that? It is our ability to work together that makes us great, makes up powerful. It would be folly to throw the galaxy into chaos...so many lives would be wasted."

Kalinda wanted to speak to the woman, to tell her of her plan, but she hardly dared to talk. Instead, she placed a hand on the Hestra's arm, and tried to touch her mind, sending her reassuring thoughts. After a moment, she could sense the woman's fear recede, just a little, and she removed her hand, and stepped to the back of the stone structure, where she could, hopefully, work unobserved.

"You talk about lives being wasted," Non replied. "Yet what would you tell all of the slaves in the Outer Rim? The indentured servants? I think they might have a few things to say to your Senate."

Jonas gave a hollow laugh. "How noble of you, to concern yourself with those unfortunate souls. I'm certain that all of your actions up until now have been in the best interest of those that you mention."

"I never said that I practice what I preach, Mister Jedi. I'm no hypocrite. Not like you and your little-" He paused, and glanced around, spotting Kali a moment later as she was helping a trembling Hestra to the ground. "Oh, you are a sly one, aren't you?"

Before he could pull out the detonator, Jonas was in action, his lightsaber a brilliant beam of yellow as he somersaulted between Non and Kalinda. "You've lost, Non," Jonas said calmly. "Surrender."

"Hmmmm..." Non said, putting his hand to his chin. "No, no...I don't think so." In a flash, he pulled out a small, round object from his sleeve and tossed it towards Jonas, who leaped backward to avoid it. The moment it hit the earth, a deafening blast shook the cavern, and Hestra and her little boy shrieked as chunks of stone began to fall from the ceiling. Jonas managed to use the Force to prevent anything from landing on the mother and child, but Kali had been knocked to the ground by one of the larger rocks. Disoriented, she struggled to her feet, only to feel Non's grip tightening around her throat and waist. He was stronger than he looked and he dragged her backward, to the center of the cavern.

She felt his hand run down her hips, her thighs, and her backside, and she felt sick. She tried to push the feeling away, tried to find her calm center, but she was unable to think of anything but his hands, and she struggled to get away, to summon the Force, anything, but she could not.

He chuckled softly. "She's a lively one, Mister Jedi. I can see why you keep her around." He spoke in her ear, and she could feel his warm breath against her skin. "A man might do some cra-azy things for a sweet thing like you, sugar. And it's been a while since I felt a...woman's touch." He giggled, and she felt his hands toying with the front of her tunic.

_No, _she thought suddenly. _He cannot do this to me. _She stilled her mind, and tried to use his own weight to throw him off of her. She managed to get him to loosen his grip, but she failed to notice the wicked-looking blade that he produced from his gauntlet until he had jammed it into her left knee. She screamed then, her voice echoing across the cavern, and fell to the ground in agony.

Suddenly, Jonas was beside her, using a Force push to knock Non farther away, but as he did so, the ground seemed to explode under his feet, throwing him in the air along with a shower of rocks and flame. Kalinda numbly watched his body tossed in the air, and land with a sickening thud on the cold stone floor.


	5. Chapter 5

"We're nearly there," Soren said, his voice breathless as he led the Jedi through the low, winding tunnels. All three of them were hunched over as they hurried, but Obi-wan barely noticed the discomfort. _Something is wrong, _he thought. _Kali is in trouble. _He glanced at Qui-gon, whose face mirrored the determination that Obi-wan felt in his heart, though he showed no sign of worry.

Finally, Soren stopped before an opening at their feet. He put his finger to his lips and pointed down, indicating the direction of their next move. Qui-gon nodded, and motioned for Soren to stay put. The boy pouted, but did so, and the Jedi slipped through the rock opening, and into the cavern beyond.

The scene that greeted them was chaotic: they arrived just in time to see Jonas thrown backward as an explosion rattled the entire chamber; Kali was lying to one side, blood pooling around her legs, and Non was making a hasty retreat, tossing small explosives across the cavern. Obi-wan felt his heart tighten at the sight of Kali, but he recognized that they had a chance to capture Non, as he didn't seem to know that they were there. Both Jedi raced to follow him, but he turned at the last minute, shaking his finger at them.

"Not so fast, my little robed friends," he chuckled, holding up a detonator. "I have no quarrel with you...don't try anything funny, and I'll make your deaths swift as I made his." He nodded to Jonas, who was still.

Qui-gon raised his palm to summon the Force, but Kali cried out as he did so. "No! Don't!" The Jedi glanced at her for an instant, but that was all that it took. Another explosion rocked the air, and Non vanished in the thickening smoke and falling debris.

Kalinda crawled over to Jonas, her brain refusing to register the pain in her knee, the frightened wails of the Minister's family, or even the mild explosion that had forced Obi-wan and Qui-gon to jump away from Non as he made his escape. All of her attention was on Jonas, whose face was pale and streaked with blood. She looked at the rest of him and almost vomited.

"Jonas?" she whispered, cradling his head in her lap. "Dad?"

His eyes opened, and he looked up at her, a faint smile on his lips. "My beloved daughter," he said softly. "You have made me so happy. I am so proud of you...I want you to know that."

"No," she said, blinking through the tears that were escaping from her eyes. "No, you can't leave me..."

"You are strong, Kali," he replied, his voice calm. "I know that you will be a great Jedi one day. I love you." His eyes lost their shine, he went still in her arms. Moments later, Obi-wan and Qui-gon were beside her, but she hardly noticed as she clutched her father's body to her, rocking back and forth.

* * *

Obi-wan set the nav computer's course for Coruscant, and slipped out of the cockpit to check on Kalinda, whom Qui-gon had carried back aboard their transport. She was sleeping deeply, no doubt as much from the Jedi's calming Force influence as from the pain meds he'd given her. Qui-gon was performing a vigil over Jonas' body, which they'd managed to remove from the cavern, though it had been difficult. As he watched Kali sleeping, Obi-wan thought back over their departure from Echothalia.

Soren had been invaluable, as the Jedi were unable to carry out Jonas' body, Kalinda, who was grief stricken and stunned, and the Minister's family, who were paralyzed with fear. The boy had run for help, and returned with citizens and guards alike, who helped to remove the survivors and deactivate the bombs that Non had left.

_Non._

Obi-wan felt anger coil within him at the thought of the criminal. He'd had a ship waiting, a derelict-looking thing that didn't even look like it would get off the ground, let alone jump to hyperspace. But, in the end, the Minister's family was safe, and the people of Echothalia could start to rebuild what Non had destroyed.

Kali would not be so lucky. He touched her hand; aside from her knee, she's sprained her wrist, and sustained other minor injuries. She looked very small and fragile in the bunk, and even in the deepest sleep, her face showed no sign of peace. "I'm sorry we didn't come in time, Kali," he said, his voice quiet. She didn't move, and he felt a little foolish for talking to her now. But still. Kneeling beside her, putting his lips to her ear, he whispered, "I promise, I will never let you down again, Kalinda." He kissed her lips, gently, and stood up, taking her hand in his own.

"How is she?" Qui-gon's voice sounded from the doorway, and Obi-wan dropped her hand as he turned to his master.

"Sleeping."

The Jedi nodded. "Hopefully she'll remain so for the rest of the journey." His expression softened. "Her knee is..."

"I know," Obi-wan interrupted. "I know."

Qui-gon put a hand on the Padawan's shoulder. "Come on, Obi-wan. Let's have something to eat. You must be hungry."

Though he didn't feel hungry in the least, Obi-wan nodded, and glanced at Kali one last time as they exited the cabin.

* * *

"But Kalinda-"

"I said, I don't want a blasted '_mechno' _anything._" _

"It could take months for you to get use of this knee back, and it will never be truly healed. With a prosthetic, you will be fully recuperated in a month or so, at most. But if you choose not to...well, it will make everything that much harder."

Kalinda glared at Adi Gallia, the Healer who was in charge of her care at the Jedi Temple. "I don't care." Her jaw was set and her eyes were locked on the Jedi Master's.

The Healer sighed, and shook her head. "Very well. Now, lay back; I'm going to apply the bacta ointment. I've mixed in some callendia leaf extract, so it may sting a bit."

_She wasn't kidding, _Kali thought, clenching her teeth as the pain needled into her left knee. It had only been five days since the disaster on Echothalia and she had spent the entire time either in a bacta tank or on one of the blasted examination tables. Aside from the quick briefing that she had given Master Windu, she hadn't had much time to think about the mission, which, truth be told, was a blessing. It was as if part of her mind had blocked out the memory altogether, and she was careful not to let her thoughts dwell too long on...

_No, _she thought, shaking her head. _No, I will not think of him now. I can't...it's too much. _Even so, she felt a tear escape and trickle down her cheek, which she swiped at quickly. After several more minutes, Adi Gallia looked up, giving her a tight smile.

"All done. Let me wrap it up, and you can be on your way."

Kali frowned. "No bacta tank?"

"No." The Healer finished wrapping the injury, and removed her gloves, tossing them in a red container by the door. She pressed a button on the comm, and a girl's voice answered.

"Yes, Master?"

"Siri, would you please bring me a set of crutches to exam room eight?"

"Be right there."

Adi turned to back to Kalinda. "You have a difficult path ahead of you, Kalinda, but you seem resolute. I hope that you have thought this decision through."

Kali remained silent.

Moments later, the door opened, and a slender, blonde girl about a year younger than Kalinda entered the room, carrying the requested crutches in her right hand. Her eyes widened briefly as she took in Kali's bandaged knee, but she handed the objects to her Master without comment, merely nodding as the Healer thanked her.

Several minutes later, Kali was clumsily navigating the corridors of the Temple with the unwieldy crutches, her face burning as passing students stared at her awkward passage. Just as she reached the door to her room, her comm unit beeped, and she cursed under her breath.

"Padawan Halcyon," Mace Windu said. "Your presence has been requested in the Council chambers, immediately."

"Yes, Master," she replied with a sigh.

It was another twenty minutes before she managed to make the journey that shouldn't have taken more than five, and she was nearly breathless when she finally arrived at the top of the center spire that housed the Council chambers. She made her way to the center of the room, facing Master Windu and Yoda, the most senior members of the Order, and tried to calm her racing heart.

"Master Gallia tells us that you refused the prosthetic," Mace Windu began without preamble. "You realize that decision will impact your abilities as a Jedi?"

Her face flamed, but her resolve was deep. "Yes, Master Windu."

"Chosen the more difficult path, you have," Yoda said, his large eyes fixed on her. "But for what reasons, do you know?"

She frowned. "I don't want a prosthetic anything, Master. No synthflesh, no droid parts, nothing. I just...I just feel that it wouldn't be right. For me." She glanced at Adi Gallia, whose expression was guarded. "Why is it an issue, Masters?"

"Kalinda," Adi said, leaning forward. "You have come through a very difficult ordeal. Perhaps you need some time to reflect, to consider-"

"Are you all deaf?" she snapped. "What part of 'no' don't you understand?" The moment the words left her mouth, her stomach dropped to her feet and she tried to stammer out an apology.

Mace Windu raised his eyebrow, but let the comment slide. "We brought you here to discuss what is to become of your training."

At these words, Kali felt the knot in her heart unclench slightly, and she felt hopeful. However, the feeling was dashed with the Master's next words. "Unfortunately, there are no Jedi currently seeking a Padawan at this time. We've contacted some of them who are in the field, but haven't yet received a reply. We will advise you when they respond." He leaned back in his chair. "In the meantime, it is recommended that you participate in classes here, in addition to your physical therapy."

He nodded to her, which she took as her cue to leave. As she turned, Kalinda lost her grip on one of the crutches, and it clattered to the smooth stone floor of the chamber with an echo. None of the Jedi Masters moved to help her as she struggled to pick up the crutch, cheeks burning. Finally, in a moment of desperation, she managed to use the Force to pull the crutch closer to her, where she could grasp it easier, and she made her way at last out of the tower.

* * *

Obi-wan entered the Healer's wing, several datapads in his grip. He stopped one of the junior Healers, asking about Kali, but the Rhodian boy shook his head, gesturing to one of the exam rooms. Obi-wan searched the wing, but saw no sign of her, so he decided to check her room. As he exited the wing, he nearly ran over Siri, a fellow Padawan.

"Watch where you're going, Kenobi," she said, her green eyes narrowing at him.

"Sorry," he replied. "I guess I'm just preoccupied." He held up the datapads. "Did you hear your Master mention anything about Kalinda? She's not in the Healers' wing."

The blond girl shrugged. "She got called to the Council about an hour ago-Adi had to go up after she finished bandaging her knee." She grimaced. "It looked pretty bad; I think she's foolish for not going with a prosthetic."

Obi-wan stared at her. "A prosthetic? I didn't realize it was so serious."

Siri nodded. "I only caught a glimpse, but it wasn't pretty." She tilted her head at Obi-wan. "But you were with her, right? You saw?"

"I did...I just..." he sighed. "Any idea where Kali might be, now?"

"How should I know?"

Obi-wan nodded. "Well, thanks anyway, Siri." He turned to walk off, but Siri called his name, making him pause and face her. "What is it?"

Her cheeks grew pink, and she shook her head. "It's nothing, Obi-wan. Go find your friend."

It didn't take him very long. She was in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, seated on a mossy boulder, her left knee extended before her; a set of metallic crutches was discarded on the ground next to the boulder. He could sense her grief and sorrow the moment that he approached, though it wouldn't have taken Jedi powers to detect such emotions from the dark-haired girl who sat alone, gazing at the rushing waterfall that filtered into the pool before her.

"Kali," he said by way of greeting, coming to stand beside her. She glanced at him; seated as she was, she was almost at his eye level. When she didn't answer, he held out the datapads. "I thought you were still in the Healers' wing, and that you might want something to read...so, I brought you these." She glanced at his hand, then took the pads from him, placing them on the boulder next to her without looking at them. "They're about the Sith wars," he added with a smile. "Really dry stuff just as you like."

"No one's going to continue my training," she said, her voice barely audible above the rushing water.

"Is that why you were summoned to the Council?"

She glanced at him, a trace of familiar wry humor in her voice. "Word travels fast here, doesn't it?"

"But...are they dismissing you from the Order?"

"No," she replied. "According to Master Windu, they have placed requests with several Jedi in the field, but no one is really looking for a Padawan right now. They'll let me know." The last part was tinged with sarcasm.

Obi-wan swallowed, and scuffed his boots against the verdant moss. "So, in the meantime, you'll be here?"

She nodded. "I'm to take classes and focus on recuperating," she said. "And then, we'll just see, I guess." She turned to him fully, he could see that her eyes were red-rimmed and swollen. "I don't know what I'm going to do."

_Embrace her, _Obi-wan's mind screamed at him, but all he managed to do was pat her awkwardly on the back. "You'll manage, Kali; the Council will figure it out. You're strong."

She pulled back, and looked at him as though he had slapped her. "How can you say that? Do you have any idea..." Her words broke off, and she shook her head, turning to slip off of the rock. As she tried to find her footing, her injured knee bumped against the boulder, and she let out an involuntary hiss. Obi-wan moved to help her, but she pushed him away. "Just leave me alone." He could see tears sliding down her face, and her hair was tangled as she bent to retrieve the crutches, but there was venom in her voice.

Silently, he stood and watched her slowly make her way out of the room, the crutches squeaking as she limped. He glanced down, and saw that she had left the datapads on the ground. He grabbed at them roughly, and strode towards the opposite side of the room, to the corridor beyond.


	6. Chapter 6

Part Two: Aftermath

_Three months later..._

"No Jedi is allowed to take two Padawans, Master Qui-gon. You are aware of that."

"I'm not talking about taking a second learner, Master Windu. I just think that, until a new Master is found for Kalinda, that I could keep an eye on her training now that she is more fully healed; she's worked with me before and she and Obi-wan are of similar age and ability. I am just concerned that she is losing her way."

"Our own counsel we will keep on such matters, Qui-gon," Yoda said. "Focus on your own Padawan, you should."

"This discussion is over," Mace Windu added, his hands folded before him. "You may go."

Qui-gon bowed once, and exited the chamber quickly, his long stride bringing him to the turbolift in a few seconds. As he rode it down to the main level, his thoughts turned again to Kali, and he was glad that he had not told her about his decision to approach the Council on her behalf. _Better that I don't get her hopes up, _had been his thought at the time as he watched her, sitting alone in a quiet corner of the cafeteria, reading through a stack of datapads as students bustled around her with trays of food. Obi-wan had told him that she spent most of her time alone, either in the Archives or...well, he wasn't sure. It was clear that the boy was hurt that his friend had been avoiding him, though he didn't speak of it, Qui-gon sensed that something had happened between the two that had widened the rift. _If only the Council had agreed,_ the Jedi thought, his mouth set in a firm line. _I know that I could help her. _

Still, it was useless to dwell on the past; besides, he did have an alternate plan. He and Obi-wan had been at the Temple for almost a week now, and while his Padawan was absorbed in classes and lectures today, Qui-gon had made a decision. It was relatively easy to find her; when he reached the Archives, Jocasta Nu gave him a sad smile after his inquiry and pointed towards the rear corner of the massive room. Qui-gon peered behind the final row of shelves and saw Kalinda seated in one of the plushy chairs, her back to him. A stack of datapads towered beside her. Engrossed as she was, she did not notice his presence until he was standing right in front of her.

"Hello, Kali," he said, giving her a warm smile.

She looked up then and gave him a half-hearted smile in return, setting her datapad in her lap. "Master Qui-gon."

He took a seat next to her, and leaned forward. "What are you studying?"

"Nomi Sunrider," she answered, glancing down at the datapad.

"She was a great Jedi," Qui-gon said with a nod. "Very powerful and very wise."

"She was married," Kali added in an offhand way. "With a baby. Her husband was a Jedi, too...well, he was one first, then she became one when he was killed."

"I'm glad to see that you have kept your studies up," Qui-gon said. "How are your classes?"

Kali shrugged, her hand lifted as she toyed with her Padawan braid. "Fine. Except they put me with some younger kids for lightsaber practice." She grimaced.

"How is it?" Qui-gon asked, glancing at her left knee.

Instinctively, she smoothed her tunic over it. "It doesn't hurt all the time like it did," she replied. "But it's not healing like it should. It's taking too long."

Qui-gon tried to conceal his surprise. "The Healers told you this?"

"I can read my own chart," she said, a little too sharply. "And I don't need anyone to tell me what they're all thinking." She looked at Qui-gon, and he felt a pang as he saw a hardness to her eyes that he had never seen before. "Did you come here to ask me questions, or to give me encouragement?"

"I came here because I consider us friends, and I care about you," he answered. "Jonas was one of my dearest friends, and I've known you since you were no higher than my knee."

She sighed and hugged her arms to her sides. "I don't want to talk about that."

"I spoke with Master Fisto this morning," the Jedi said. "He mentioned that he hasn't heard you play anything in a while; have you been practicing?"

"I don't much feel like it, Master."

Qui-gon tried to keep his expression neutral. "That doesn't sound like you, Kali. I don't think that I've ever known you to go an entire day without playing the viol."

She shrugged, but made no reply.

"Very well," Qui-gon said. On impulse, he leaned forward and embraced the girl; she felt thinner than he remembered, beneath the voluminous robes, and she seemed to freeze when he touched her. _There is no light in her eyes, _he thought, watching her guarded expression. _She is not the same girl. _"I want you to know," he said, forcing her to meet his gaze. "That I am here for you, if you ever do want to talk about anything. You know that, don't you?"

She nodded mutely, but he could see that he had not reached her. Sighing, he touched her hand, and stood up, his long stride carrying him quickly out of the Archives.

* * *

Kalinda woke the next morning like she did every morning: in a cold sweat, gasping and terrified of something that she could not see or comprehend. In the first few weeks after...after her return to the Temple, sleep had been a welcome release from the thoughts that kept leaking through the wall that she had built within her mind. Gradually, though, the blankness of sleep turned into a bottomless well of nightmares that she could never quite remember.

She showered quickly and gave herself a glance in the bathroom mirror: dark hair that fell past her shoulders, which she kept forgetting to brush; dark eyes that looked sunken into her oval-shaped face; her skin felt like parchment. She looked skinnier than she had before; the Healers kept admonishing her to eat more, but she rarely had an appetite. As always, she examined the wound on her left knee; as she had told Qui-gon, it had healed, for the most part, though it pained her more than she cared to admit, and she found it difficult to walk without limping, which was unsettling.

After dressing in the standard tunic and robes, Kali checked her calendar; all of the students at the temple had accounts within the system, and each day, assignments and classes were sent to the student's personal calendar, which streamlined the structure of education at the Temple. Her forehead creased as she saw her schedule for the day, after the usual round of meditation and meals: Observational Walk with Master Plo Koon. _That's a new one, _she thought. _I wonder what we'll be observing? _Reaching in her desk drawer, she pulled out a muja fruit, which she had managed to sneak back from the kitchen. As she munched on it, she flicked through the information about Nomi Sunrider. A particular quote caught her eye:

"_Together, we have suffered a great disaster, and now comes a time for healing... We can never forget the dead—but we must also not forget the future. We must trust in the Force. As long as there are Jedi Knights, there is hope._"

"As long as there are Jedi Knights, there is hope," she repeated aloud. The words sounded hollow in her ears and she shut the pad off with a sigh. A glance at the time told her that it was time to go, so she clipped her lightsaber to her belt and slipped out the door to the nearest turbolift. She didn't go to the cafeteria, where most of the other students had congregated already, instead heading for one of the practice rooms, which were always empty this time of day. There, she worked for about half an hour, stretching and flexing her weak knee, willing it to heal, willing it to be better. It was always incredibly sore after these sessions, but she thought that she could feel her old strength returning, which pushed her to continue.

* * *

"You have the Observational Walk too?"

Obi-wan turned and looked at Siri, who had caught up with him in the hallway. "Yes. Do you know anything about it?"

She shook her head. Though her blond hair was still relatively short, she had decided to let it grow out; it fell to the base of her chin now, swaying with the motion of her head. "I've asked around; no one has any idea what to expect." She gave him a smile. "Hopefully something exciting. I've been going stir crazy being cooped up here for the last few weeks."

He grinned. "That last mission was a little too exciting for me. But I'm glad you and Master Gallia were there...otherwise it might not have gone as it did." They shared a laugh, and paused at the turbolift. When the door opened, their laughter stopped abruptly as they noticed that Kalinda was inside already, absorbed in one of her ubiquitous datapads. She didn't even glance up, merely stepped aside so that they could enter. As the lift moved, an uneasy silence filled the area; Siri caught Obi-wan's eye, and glanced over at Kalinda, raising her eyebrows questioningly. He gave a slight shrug and shook his head.

If she noticed the silent exchange, the dark-haired girl showed no sign of it, save for the fact that she brushed past them the moment that the lift had stopped at their destination, exiting into the long corridor, her gait uneven.

"Wow," Siri said as soon as the other girl was out of earshot. "That girl is extra-strength crazy." She glanced at Obi-wan. "Sorry...I know that you two were friends."

"She's had a rough time, I guess," Obi-wan replied, feeling an unfamiliar twinge in his chest. "But she kind of...pushed me away."

The blond girl shrugged. "Her loss." She grinned slyly as Obi-wan cast her a startled look. However, before either of them could say anything, they arrived at the arranged meeting place, where Master Plo Koon and about a dozen other Padawans around their age were waiting.

* * *

The Observational Walk turned out to be more interesting than any of the Padawans had anticipated. Master Plo Koon had bustled the group into a transport, and they had descended down to the lower levels of Coruscant.

"I want you all to be especially mindful of the Living Force," the Kel Dor male had said as the Padawans glanced around eagerly at the colorful array of shops, bars, restaurants and bistros. "This is an exercise in paying attention to your surroundings, as much as a way to show you another side of this world that you may not be familiar with." He began to walk, the group clustered around him. "As Jedi, we deal with a great many prominent and wealthy individuals, but often it is from the unlikeliest of places that true information comes. Some of your Masters may have touched on this already, but I feel that..."

Kalinda hung in the back, only part of her attention on the Master's words. She was too busy trying to take it all in: the vivid shop displays with daring fashions; the overwhelming scent of delicious foods wafting from street vendors and cafes alike; and the raucous sounds of music that were emanating from a particularly gaudy establishment to her right. She stopped and looked at the building, named for a Huttese word that vaguely translated to "opening flower." Inside, she could make out a large stage, with several lithe young women gyrating suggestively, while one of them sang in front of the rest; it was one of the pop songs with frequented plays on the holochannels, but Kali thought that the human female did an admirable job replicating it.

"Miss Halcyon, can you tell me how many months it takes to acquire a permit to run a pari-mutual wagering establishment?" Plo Koon's voice broke her out of her reverie.

"It depends, Master," she replied. "If the casino is open from the hours of 0800 to 2000, it only takes one month. However, if they plan on being open from 2000 to 0800, it could take up to three months, due to the higher volume of applicants."

Plo Koon was not fooled, but he nodded once. "Very good. However, please try to keep with the rest of the group, Kalinda."

Nodding, Kali came forward, though she couldn't help but cast a glance back at the club, an idea forming in her mind. Ahead of her, Obi-wan and Adi Gallia's Padawan, Siri, were walking close together, their hands nearly touching. Kalinda swallowed thickly, her mind made up. _Tonight, _she thought, lifting her chin. _I'll do it tonight._


	7. Chapter 7

It was easier to sneak out of the Jedi Temple than she'd anticipated; within minutes she was stepping out of one of the staff entrances, having timed the automated droid's movements as it completed its perimeter check. _That was too easy for comfort, _she thought as she made her way to one of the crossing points where she could hail an air-taxi. _I hope getting back in won't be too difficult. _She'd figured that she had until about 0400 to return to the Temple undetected, which was about the earliest that any of the Jedi rose to begin their days. After a few harried minutes, a taxi finally stopped, the droid driver hardly giving her a second glance as she slipped inside, giving her desired destination. It was a short ride, and Kali watched the vibrant city lights streaming by as they hurtled through the night. She paid with some credits left over from a mission-Jedi rarely carried any significant amount of money-and made her way back to the nightclub, her stomach churning.

Inside, it was cleaner than she'd expected, though most of the patrons were of the more unseemly variety, and Kali wondered briefly what Obi-wan would say if he had accompanied her. _Probably something about how this is a bad idea, _she thought with a grim smile, nodding to a couple of Rutanian females who were giving her the once-over. Truth be told, she didn't look that bad. A trip to one of the supply rooms had outfitted her with passable civilian clothes: dark, form-fitting pants and boots, and a pale gray, sleeveless tunic that accentuated her waist. She had even taken the time to brush her hair, though she hadn't been able to make up her mind how to wear it, so she'd left it loose, disguising her Padawan braid by pinning it across her hairline in what she hoped was a fashionable look. The goal was to appear as un-Jedi-like as possible, and she hoped that she'd done a sufficient job.

After a few minutes, she approached what appeared to be the maitre'd. He directed her to the rear of the club, behind the stage, where a Besalisk male was leaning against the wall, watching the performance; a pair of Human females were doing a fair approximation of a popular song.

"Excuse me, sir," Kalinda said. "Where do you sign up to sing?"

The large, four armed fellow gave her a curious glance, then shook his head. "You don't want to sing here, kiddo. You shouldn't even be in a place like this."

She frowned. "I'm old enough to decide that for myself, I think. How do I sign up?" She met his gaze, and after a moment he shrugged, and handed her a durasheet.

"Slow night. You're next. Pick any song from that list. And I'll need your name."

"Kamala," she replied after a moment's thought, scanning the sheet until her eyes fell on a song that she knew fairly well. She told him, he nodded and pointed to where she was to wait until it was her turn. As she stepped over to the stairs that led to the stage, the Besalisk gave her a wide grin. "Break a leg!" She gaped at him, and he let out a hearty chuckle, shaking his head. "Means good luck. Sheesh."

Kali smiles sheepishly, and took a deep breath as she was announced. It was exhilarating and wholly unfamiliar, being on the wide stage alone, bathed in the glittering lights from the mirrored globes that hovered above her. The spotlight that shone on her was too warm, and it prevented her from seeing anyone in the crowd clearly, but she found that she didn't really care once the music started, and she began to sing.

It was an older song, one she had listened to fervently when it had come out about two years ago, staying up into the wee hours with the personal music player that Jonas had given her on her birthday. The melody was complex, but the lyrics were fairly simple, though they echoed many of the feelings that she'd been experiencing lately: confusion, betrayal, and loss. As she sang, Kali felt the emotions that she'd held in check for so long begin to bubble forth, to make themselves known in this song, in this moment. She found herself getting lost in the music, adding flourishes and elongating words to enhance the song's influence, and when it was over, she found herself slightly disoriented, squinting in the bright lights as the audience erupted with a swell of cheers and applause.

She gave a quick nod, then turned and began to make her way off of the stage, but members of the crowd began to shout for more. The Besalisk, who was clapping as well, gave her thumbs-up, and motioned her back to the center of the stage. Hesitantly, Kalinda nodded, and called out another song from the list to him, the music beginning moments later.

She sang a total of five songs that nigh; when she was done, she was covered in sweat from the lights, and glitter from one of the dancers who'd snuck up on her in the final minute of the last song, covering her with the stuff. The Besalisk chuckled as she tried to brush off the worst of it after she'd left the stage.

"I must admit," he said, thumping her back and sending up a shower of gold and silver flecks. "You were pretty impressive, Kamala."

"It was fun," she replied, shaking out her tunic. "I might be back tomorrow, if that's okay."

He shook his head and she stopped, looking perplexed. "I meant what I said before," he explained. "You don't belong in a place like this, kiddo. Now, now, don't look like that," he said, seeing her eyes narrow. "I have another opportunity for you, if you want. I work as a cook at a little place about five blocks from here: The Chrysalis. The owner's looking to add some entertainment a few nights a week, and I think that you just might fit the bill. You'd need to bring your own music, though. She doesn't have a setup like this place."

Kalinda regarded him, mulling it over. "What kind of place?"

"Similar to this, minus the chance of...acquiring any illicit goods or, er, services," the Besalisk replied. "More...suited to a young lady like yourself."

"I'm perfectly able to take care of myself."

He spread his four hands in a gesture of placation. "I didn't say that, now. Just would set an old guy like me a bit more at ease, if you weren't hanging out at a strip club."

She glanced around, her eyes widening. "I didn't realize..."

"I suspected as much," he chuckled. "So, what do you think?" She made no reply and he sighed, pulling out a small card from his pocket. "Why don't you think about it? If you want, just come down here any time, and tell Joyle that Dexster Jettster sent you."

* * *

The hardest part of covering her tracks for that night was getting all of the glitter off of her clothes. In the end, Kali wound up shaking them off in the shower stall, sweeping them up with her palms, and flushing them down the toilet, though that only got rid of about seventy percent of the stuff. She shoved the clothes under her bed for now, showered, and managed to get a few hours of blissful, dreamless sleep before the morning chime sounded. When she woke, she felt oddly refreshed, instead of exhausted and sleep deprived as she had prepared herself for. The feeling dissipated, however, when she glanced at her schedule for the day: _Lightsaber Training: Form I, Juniors. _"Not with the kids, again," she groaned aloud. Glancing down at her knee, she sighed. _Why won't you get better, already? s_he thought. _I need to get out of that youngling class. _

She opened her desk and was dismayed to see that she had no fruit; her growling stomach reminded her that she hadn't eaten since yesterday afternoon. Instead of making her way to the training room, she headed for the cafeteria, hoping that she could just duck in and out quickly to sate her hunger.

It was crowded this time of day, as usual, so she made her way directly to the line of Padawans and students that were docilely waiting for their turn to grab a tray. After she made her selections there was the deplorable question of where to sit, as they were not allowed to remove food from the cafeteria. Since the room was so packed there was no spot where she could tuck herself away, so she stood awkwardly for a moment, debating.

"Hey Kali! Over here!"

Kali glanced to her right as Bant Eerin waved her over, a welcoming smile on her face. Kali made to walk towards her, when the boy next to the Mon Calamarian girl turned so that she caught a glimpse of his face: Obi-wan. Her heart caught in her throat, but she pushed through the feeling, determined not to reveal her emotions. _I'll just eat fast, _she thought, setting her tray down across from Bant and Obi-wan. A moment later, Siri Tachi plopped down on Obi-wan's other side, handing him an extra serving of muja-sauce. _Really fast. _

Bant was clearly delighted to see her friend, and immediately struck up a conversation. "I feel like I haven't seen you in ages, Kali! I've been working on some more compositions; we need to play together again, soon."

Kalinda nodded and gave the silver-eyed girl a small smile. "That would be good, Bant."

The smaller girl looked around the table, a grin on her face. "It's funny, we're all at the Temple at the same time...it reminds me of before we were Padawans!" She said the words unthinkingly, though the moment they left her mouth it was clear that she regretted them. Everyone looked at Kali out of the corner of their eye, the silence at their table audible.

_The Padawan with no Master._

Kalinda stared at her plate, her appetite gone. Siri leaned over, and whispered something in his ear, and he replied, causing the blonde girl to giggle slightly. Her cheeks burning, Kalinda tried to ignore them and keep up the conversation with Bant, who was eager to rectify her error. Finally, when she could tolerate it no longer Kali stood up to go. However, something about the rapid motion moved her knee the wrong way and she felt a stab of pain-worse than it had been in a while. She gave an involuntary cry and dropped to the floor, her tray and leftover plates clattering around her.

The entire room was silent for a moment, then the chatter started up again as she began to pick herself back up. No one said anything to her, but she could feel their attention, which was just as bad.

"Here, let me help you," Obi-wan was beside her, offering his hand. She looked up at him, his serious expression fixed on her and felt tears threatening to fall.

"I'm okay," she whispered, gathering her tray and accouterments. "Don't worry about me, Ben." She used her old nickname for him, though for what reason she couldn't have said, so he nodded and went back to sit beside Siri, who gave him an odd look.

Kali found that she couldn't leave the room fast enough.

"What did she call you?" Siri asked him, as they were walking to lightsaber practice.

Obi-wan hesitated.

He remembered when they had first met, so many years ago, when he'd shared the nickname that his parents had given him. It had always been their little inside joke, as he really preferred to go by Obi-wan, but he always liked it when Kali called him Ben. Finally he shrugged. "Obi-wan," he said, not looking at Siri. "It was noisy; it might have sounded different to you."

She nodded, but he could see that she didn't believe him. To her credit though, she shrugged it off, and gave him a dazzling smile, which he returned. After glancing around to confirm that they were alone in the hallway, she reached for his hand, which he gave her, and they walked in silence.

* * *

The Chrysalis had a deceptively small and dingy exterior, which at first made Kalinda almost turn around and go back to the Temple. Curiosity though, made her resolve to at least _look _inside. To her relief, it was cleaner than she'd expected, though quite garishly decorated. It seemed that the owner of the establishment had decided to use any color, as long as it was florescent or sparkly, a theme that was repeated in the cloths that covered the multitude of small, round tables, the waitress' uniforms, and the curtain that was centered behind the stage. As her eyes were assaulted by the design, she had to force herself not to cover her ears with her hands; there was a music player next to the bar that was blaring some kind of Togratan pop song at full volume.

She made her way to the bar, and managed to catch the eye of the Twi'lek girl that was working behind the counter. "I'm looking for Joyle?"

The Twi'lek pointed towards the corner of the large room, where a blue-skinned, Pantoran woman was sorting through a pile of receipts. Taking a moment to brush off the stray bits of glitter that still clung to her tunic, Kalinda made her way to the woman's table.

"Good evening, Madame Joyle. I'm not sure if you know, but your cook, Dexter Jettster sent me to you-" she began, extending her hand. However, she was cut off as the woman rolled her eyes.

"What's so good about it? Place is dead. No customers means no money." She paused, and glanced up at the girl. "Dex sent you, did he? You don't look old enough to dance...though you're certainly built for it."

Kali's brow furrowed. "Dance? No, I'm a...musician. He thought that we might come to an arrangement."

Joyle stood up. She was short, for her species, barely taller than Kalinda, but her gaze was pure steel. "And you consider yourself a talented musician, do you?"

Kalinda shrugged and shifted the gitar she'd brought to her other shoulder, letting the woman see the case as she did so. "Why don't you be the judge?"

The Pantoran gestured to the stage. "Very well. Show me what you've got..."

"Kamala."

"I don't care what your name is, unless you make me a profit," Joyle countered, waving her hand.

Kali made her way to the stage, a strange sense of calm falling over her. There was no chair or stool-which she would have preferred-her knee was bothering her-so she stood in the center of the stage, pulled out the gitar, (she had tuned it before she'd left the Temple), and began to play. She didn't pick out a specific melody at first, she simply let her fingers wander over the strings until a tune came unbidden to her mind. It was actually one of the songs that she'd written herself, though why she chose to play it in front of a bunch of strangers in a dingy bar she had no idea.

As she sang, as the music flowed from her fingers, Kali began to feel the Force gathering around her, until she thought that she must be glowing with it. Her conscious mind was lost to the song and her fingers moved on pure instinct as her voice wove the lyrics around and around. Afterward, she couldn't have recalled what she'd sung, only that the moment that the final note faded and she opened her eyes, the room, which had somehow filled with at least twice as many patrons, burst into applause and cheers and shouts for an encore. A glance towards the Pantoran owner, who was frantically gesturing her to continue, encouraged her to begin another song, and after that one, a third.

She wasn't sure how long she stood and played, but a glance at an obliging patron's chronometer told her that it was far, far past the time when she should have left. _Blast, _she thought, bowing briefly before hurrying offstage. _Where did the time go? _She nearly ran over Joyle in her haste to escape, but Dex, who had appeared next to his employer, held out one of his huge hands to stop her.

"You gonna turn into a pumpkin on us?"

"What?"

The blue-skinned woman rolled her eyes, and pushed Dex aside. "Never mind him, he never makes any sense. So!" She put her arm around Kalinda's shoulder, and began to walk her to the door. "You made me a bit of cash tonight. Feel like coming back tomorrow?"

Kali's mind raced, working it out. _It won't be easy, _she thought, _but I think I can do it. _"Yes, I do," she replied, grinning. "It was...fun."

"Whatever makes you say," she replied with a sigh. "So, how much?"

"Excuse me?"

"For your...services," Joyle motioned towards the instrument case. "What's your going rate?"

Kali shook her head. "I can't accept any money, Madame."

"A talented musician who brings people to my place _and_ doesn't want to be paid?" Joyle said, glancing at Dex. "Too good to be true, eh? Are you a mirage, or just a bad joke-teller?"

Pursing her lips, Kalinda thought for a moment. "It's not a joke. But...if I could have a tip jar, I could donate the proceeds to charity, I suppose..."

"We'll work something out, kiddo," Dex said, patting her shoulder. "You go home and get some rest."

* * *

When Kalinda returned to her room that evening-or morning, rather-she found it difficult to sleep, even though she was exhausted. Instead, she kept thinking of different songs that she wanted to perform, or how many instruments she might be able to loan out from the music room at one time. Beneath the excitement of her new activities lay a deeper, more resonant chord; _this is what I'm supposed to be doing, _she thought, lying in bed. _Making music. I think that Jonas would've enjoyed himself. _An image of her master slipped out of its hiding place in the back of her mind and she recalled the outpouring of emotions that she'd felt during her performance.

"That was for you, dad," she whispered to the darkness. "I hope you liked it."


	8. Chapter 8

_Author's note: This story references events that occured in the Jude Watson book, _Secrets of the Jedi_, which I highly recommend. _

The next three weeks continued on in a similar fashion for Kalinda. In fact, she found that a strange sense of freedom took over her when she performed; shegot to choose what songs she played and she got to come and go from the Chrysalis as she pleased. After the first week, she managed to convince the bartender, Lirra, to sing backup, and Dex turned out to be quite handy with a drum kit, which opened up quite a few more options for her. And-best of all-no one knew her. No one looked at her and saw the crippled Padawan whose Master was killed: she was simply Kamala. Lirra, had even brought her a few more changes of clothes so she was able to return the ones she'd "borrowed" from the Temple.

One night, after the place had closed and Joyle was happily counting down the till, Kali approached her with a proposition. She stood in front of the woman, clearing her throat.

"What is it, girl? I'm doing important work here!"

Kali smiled. "I know. That's kind of why I want to talk to you." As she'd expected, the reference to finances caught the Pantoran's attention, and the woman looked up at her warily. "I think that it would be really beneficial to the club if you hired some more musicians. It would add so much depth to the sound...you could even clear out the floor and set up an area to dance!"

Joyle ran her fingers over the stack of credits that she'd accumulated, and nodded slowly. "I hear you, I hear you," she said. "But will all of these musicians be as...generous as you are with your time?"

"Doubtful, but I know that with a real band, this place could do a lot better than it is now. All those people who've been coming each night, they're not coming for the atmosphere," she countered. "Dex said that he knows some people that would be a good fit, and did you know that Lirra can sing? I mean, she's really good! With a little practice, she'd be great..."

The Pantoran pursed her lips. "I'll think about it," she said gruffly, but Kali knew that she had already decided.

She grinned at the woman and bid her a good night. After speaking with Dex for a moment, she headed for the Jedi Temple. It was dark and still, as always, but Kalinda had figured out what times she could slip back to her room unnoticed, and she quietly made her way to the stairs, which, while more painful for her knee, was less obvious than the turbolift. Just as she stepped out, she nearly collided with Obi-wan, who looked ragged and tired. _He just got back from a mission, _she remembered, giving him a hesitant wave.

His eyes narrowed, but he seemed more confused than annoyed. "Kalinda? What are you doing out so late?" There was a certain weight to him, as though he had suffered some trauma, though he looked, for the most part, unharmed. Still though, there was something in his eyes that was...different. As she met his gaze, she found herself unable to lie to him.

Instead, she put her finger to her lips and tugged his hand, pulling him towards her room about ten meters down the corridor. Once the door had shut behind them, Obi-wan glared at her. " Do you have any idea what time it is? Where were you coming from? What in the stars and galaxies are you wearing?"

She didn't respond for a minute, instead taking a seat on her bed and wiggling out of the heeled shoes that Lirra had given her. Sighing, she stretched out her legs and rubbed at her bare feet. Finally, she looked up at him. Sorry, my feet were killing me after those stairs."

He crossed his arms and said nothing.

Kali stood up and walked over to the small, round window that overlooked Coruscant. Dawn was coming in earnest now, streaking the sky with gold and crimson. "It's not a big deal. A few nights a week, I play music at a restaurant downtown."

"Without the Council's approval, I suppose?" She gave him a look and he shook his head. "You could get in serious trouble for this, you know."

"Of course I do," she replied. "But...it's helping me." She looked back at him, the first rays of light from the rising sun gilding one side of her face. "I feel...more like myself, you know? For the first time since, since..." She trailed of, and wiped at the tears that were all of a sudden rolling down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Ben," she said. "I'm tired, and you're tired...I shouldn't have dragged you into this, especially now." She smiled softly at him. "How was it? The mission, I mean."

"It was...challenging," he said after a pause. "As they all are, I guess." He stared down at his folded hands, lost in his own thoughts. Finally, he looked back at her. "I...I've missed you."

Kali hugged her arms to her sides. "I've missed you too, Ben." She rested her head against the coolness of the window, her breath fogging the glass and obscuring the view. "I'm sorry I pushed you away. I just...it's just that..."

He rose and crossed the room to stand beside her as she spoke; he took her in his arms. "I'm sorry, Kali," he whispered, his face in her hair. "I'm so sorry that you lost your Master, and that I was such a gundark about it...I don't know what I'd do if I lost Qui-gon."

She clung to him hesitantly at first but as he spoke she felt herself sinking deeper and deeper into him. Rather than reply, she tried to reach him through the Force, tried to touch his mind, as she had done back on Echothalia. _It's okay, Ben. _"I love you," she whispered into his tunic.

"What?" He pulled back and looked at her as though she had sprouted another head. "You...but..."

"I always have, Ben," she said, her voice quiet. She met his confused look with her own steady one, though she felt as though her racing heart would fly out of her ribcage. "And I think I always will." He opened his mouth to protest, but she shook her head. "I know what you're going to say, and I disagree. I know that the Code forbids attachment...but I can't help it."

He closed his eyes, and rubbed at them with his palm. "I can't do this right now, Kali."

She looked at him. "Are you okay?"

"Yes. No. I don't know..." He sighed. "Why did you have to say that, of all things?"

"It's how I feel," she replied. "It would be a lie to pretend otherwise."

"It is against the Code, Kali. If we want to be Jedi, if we want to serve the Republic, we'll just forget..."

She shook her head. "I can't do that. Can you? Can you push all of this aside, pretend that none of those feelings exist?"

"I...look, Kali, that's beside the point. Qui-gon specifically told me that those feelings are forbidden. He said that to love someone is to be attached to them."

"Love doesn't have to be selfish; the history of the Jedi is full of examples of that. From what I've learned, I believe that it is possible to love someone, utterly and completely, without attachment, without forgoing your duty."

He shook his head. "I don't understand how that's possible."

"You don't have to understand love, Obi-wan," she said. "No one really does. But I trust it, as I trust the Force. They're one and the same, I think." Her gaze on his was resolute. "One day you'll realize that."

He sighed again, but made no reply.

They watched the sunrise for a few more minutes before she suggested that they each get some sleep. As he exited her quarters, she said his name again. "You'll have to tell me all about what happened on your mission. It must have been quite eventful."

He did not smile, as she'd expected, he only nodded once and slipped out of the room.

* * *

The next day started simply enough, with routine lessons and meditation sessions, and in the late afternoon, Kalinda found herself at The Chrysalis, where she and Dex were holding auditions for the band that Joyle had begrudgingly decided to hire. Kalinda leaned over to consult with the Besalisk as the Wookie keyboard player gathered her equipment.

"What do you think?"

"Are you kidding? I'd be too afraid of having my arms ripped out of their sockets to say no."

Kali grinned. "I thought she was pretty good too." She called up to the stage. "Mershyk? You're in. Can you come back tomorrow to start rehearsals?"

The Wookie gave a chortle and a nod that she took to mean "yes," and exited the club. Dex leaned back in his chair, scratching his bulbous stomach. "Let me take a quick break before the next one; I need to check on Robburtto; hopefully he hasn't burned anything down yet."

Nodding, Kalinda headed to the bar. Lirra, the violet-skinned Twi'lek who was cleaning glasses behind the counter, smiled warmly at her and slid her a frosted cup of muja juice, which Kali accepted gratefully. "That Wookie was good," she said.

Kali nodded, savoring the cool liquid as it made its way down her throat. "She was. You don't see many Wookie keyboard players around."

"How many more auditions are there tonight?"

"Just two more: another drummer, and a gitar player." She raised her eyebrows at Lirra. "Do you want to do a solo tonight? I can't stay as late as normal, since I got here so early."

Lirra held up a glass to the light, checking for smudges and shrugged. "Maybe. I'm not sure..."

"The tips are better," Kali pointed out.

"Only for you, Kam," the Twi'lek laughed. "I have to show a bit more skin than you to fill my tip jar up."

Kali rolled her eyes. "You have a great voice, Lirra. You could run this whole show, you know. You could be a real musician."

"Those clothes suit you," Lirra said, abruptly changing the subject.

Kali glanced down at the outfit she'd complied for the evening. It was more colorful than she was used to: a bright blue, sleeveless shimmersilk dress that fell just below her waist; dark-blue leggings beneath it that offered her some modesty, and her Jedi boots. "I don't know how you can wear those shoes," she said, shaking her head. "They kill my feet."

The Twi'lek shrugged. "You get used to them. And with your figure, you should flaunt what you've been given."

"Please, don't start that again," Kali sighed. "I don't like to dress that way."

Lirra shook her head. "You looked amazing in that dress-"

"I looked like the prow of a ship!" Kali replied with a giggle. "It was unseemly! I'm just not made to wear anything that tight...I don't know how you do it."

"Well, the profit from your tip jar that night bought everyone in the bar dinner," Lirra pointed out. "So I'd say that you were doing something right."

Kali shrugged. "Glad to be of service, I guess. But back to your singing..."

"No way," the Twi'lek said, shaking her head and handed Kali a bottle of water. "That's your area, my dear." She leaned around Kali as a figure entered the bar, suddenly distracted. Kali turned and watched as a handsome young Togrutan male smiled and waved at her, his grin widening as Lirra slipped out from behind the bar and ran forward to leap into his arms.

"Elek," she cried as she threw her arms around him. "I didn't know you were back in town!" They kissed passionately before Dex, who had come to stand behind her, cleared his throat; the couple looked up from their embrace and Lirra slipped out of his arms. "Want a drink?" she asked, clearing her throat and stepping back behind the bar while he took a seat beside Kali.

"Hi Kam," he said. "You been keeping out of trouble?"

She smiled. "More or less. You?"

He shook his head and smiled at Lirra as she handed him a tall, frosted drink. "Not really. But it's okay. Thanks Lir," he said, raising the glass. "That hits the spot."

The Twi'lek leaned over the counter. "Catch any bad guys lately?"

"The life of a bounty hunter is not an easy one," he replied, shaking his head. "But don't worry, love," he took her hands across the bar. "I'll be making a real living soon."

She nodded, though Kali could sense the doubt behind her thoughts. "I know."

Kali downed the rest of her drink. "You could always turn to a life of music if the whole 'catching wanted criminals' thing doesn't pay off."

"With my voice?" He laughed. "I wouldn't last a minute. But I hear that this place is doing pretty well-thanks to you."

Lirra grinned at her. "My tips have never been better! I should have my half of our downpayment sooner than we thought."

"Downpayment?" Kali asked.

Elek nodded. "We're trying to save up for our own ship. Take to the stars." He lifted his hand and zoomed parallel to the bar, whistling under his breath. "Make our own lives together."

Kalinda thought of the rows of gleaming ships in the Temple hangar. _We take a lot for granted, _she thought as she nodded.

The Togrutan looked back at Lirra. "Anyway, I can't stay long, love; I wanted to see you for a moment." Kali knew a cue when she heard one and slipped away from the bar to check the sound, looking up a few moments later to wave goodbye as Elek stepped out of the bar.

She walked back over to Lirra, who had visibly wilted the moment that he disappeared from her view. "I never stop missing him," she murmured.

* * *

As the evening wore on, Kalinda found herself slipping into the familiar routine of setting up the stage and playing her music. It was just her for the better part of the night, as neither Lirra nor Dex could get away from their respective stations, but Kali felt comfortable on stage alone and she had the audience clapping along with the music soon enough, thoroughly engrossed. As she was well into the fifth song, a familiar figure walked cautiously into the bar and Kali nearly forgot the words in shock.

Obi-wan looked incredibly out of place, standing in his simple robes amidst the flamboyance of The Chrysalis, his eyes fixed on the stage, incredulity written on his features. Kali managed to finish her song before she called for a break, causing Lirra to flip on Joyle's preferred house music that, though awful, was at least something for the patrons to listen to. Kali hurried off the stage and made her way to Obi-wan, grabbing his arm and bringing him to a shadowed corner.

"What are you doing here?"

"I might ask you the same question...This is a far cry from a restaurant, Kalinda." He looked around, frowning. "What kind of music is that? And why is everything so...sparkly?"

She ignored the question. "You need to leave. Now."

"Why?"

"Look," she said, her words hushed. "They don't know that I'm a Jedi, okay? I don't even go by my real name-"

"I know. That's why it took me so long to track you down." He regarded her. "Why all the secrecy, if you say you're not doing anything wrong?"

She pushed her hair back from her face impatiently. "It's just easier this way. Just think of it as being undercover." After a moment, she glanced around. "Did anyone else come with you?"

He sighed. "No. I asked to be excused from my evening meditation session to study in the Archives. But I don't like all this sneaking around, Kali."

"Then why did you come out?" she replied. "Why did you try to find me?"

"I just...wanted to see you," he admitted. "And I was curious about all this." He gestured to the bar, and the stage. "I wanted to know what you'd been up to."

She smiled. "So, when do you have to go back?"

"Qui-gon's off with several of the other Masters in a dejarik game," he replied. "Those tend to run long."

"Very long," she added, grinning at him. "Well, if you don't have anything better to do, why don't you hang around? You can heckle me if you get bored."

He chuckled. "That sounds good. But I don't want to, er, blow your cover." He indicated his distinctive robes.

Kali shook her head. "Don't worry about it. Dex probably has something you can borrow to look less Jedi-like."

"Who's Dex?"

"Oh, you'll love him! Come on..." She took his arm and they began to walk to the kitchen,


	9. Chapter 9

_Author's note: This chapter came out a bit longer than the rest as I'm pretty lazy when it comes to uploading chapters onto the document manager._

As she'd expected, Dex had lent Obi-wan a somewhat food splattered tunic that more or less concealed his outfit, though Kali did not miss the shrewd look of understanding that gleamed in the Besalisk's eyes as he took in her companion. He made no comment, however, just handed Obi-wan the garment and winked at Kalinda. Lirra made a place for him at the bar, where she promised to keep his glass of muja juice full, while Kali made her way back onstage.

Though she had played before him many times, something was different now and she felt oddly anxious as she considered what song to play. Finally, she settled on one of the older songs that she'd learned from studying the Archives, a fast paced and intricate melody with equally complex vocals. It got the crowd clapping along and she felt a little thrill of pride, as she often did, at the way some of the audience members responded to her music. She could feel their enthusiasm, a tangible ripple in the Force that encouraged her and added to her own delight in the music; that energy she focused back inward on the way her fingers slid over the gitar and the resonance of her voice.

As the final notes of the song faded, she couldn't help but grin at Obi-wan, who raised his glass to her before setting it down to applaud with the rest of the audience. Someone shouted out a request and several others seconded the motion, so Kali was happy to oblige.

Several hours later, when Dex shut down the kitchens and Lirra began to collect the scattered glasses, Kali realized that it was far past the time when she usually left. After stowing her instrument safely in the back, she met Obi-wan by the stage, who was looking at her with admiration.

"That was impressive," he said as she mopped at her forehead with the edge of her sleeve. "I've never heard half of those songs, but you were very good." He glanced at his chronometer. "Blast!"

"I know," she replied, waving goodnight to Lirra. "It's a lot later than I usually leave."

"Ah, I see you have an escort home, kiddo," Dex said as he shambled over to them. He looked at Obi-wan. "I worry about her sometimes, running around Coruscant this late."

"I-"

"I know," the Besalisk said, putting one of his large hands on her head. "You can take care of yourself. But I'm still glad that you have some company tonight."

Kali rolled her eyes. "Goodnight, Dex. Tell Joyle I'm leaving, would you? I think she's in the back, counting stacks of credits. I don't want to disturb her from her favorite pastime." With a final wave goodnight to Dex, the Padawans exited The Chrysalis and headed out into the evening.

Generally, Coruscant was climate controlled, but the weather regulators liked to give the illusion of actual seasons; this night, the air had the barest edge of a chill to it, a sudden change from the heat that her body had gathered while she stood under the lights of the club, and Kali found herself rubbing her hands on her arms to warm them up. A moment later, she felt a spreading warmth across her shoulders as Obi-wan placed his cloak over her. She smiled at him.

"You're such a gentleman."

He shrugged. "You looked cold. I'm still a bit warm, to tell you the truth." An air taxi sped above them, and he glanced up, following its path with his gaze. "How do you normally travel? Do you walk every night?"

She shook her head. "The only money that I take from the tip jar is to cover the fare to and from the Temple. Come on, the best place to catch a taxi is around this corner." They headed towards one of the hubs where would-be passengers waited for taxis. Several minutes later, they were speeding home through the night. Coruscant was never really silent or still, and both Padawans gazed at the multitude of colorful lights sliding by beneath them as they rode. They reached Kali's normal drop off point and headed inside the Temple.

Obi-wan cast a dubious glance around. "It's easier than I thought."

"Getting back in? I know," she replied as they made their way to the stairs. "But it occurred to me...we're not prisoners. We're allowed to come and go. They trust us not to do anything wrong."

"Like sneaking out of the Temple and and carousing in bars?"

"I'm not 'carousing,' I'm providing music for the good citizens of Coruscant," she laughed, trying to ignore the jabs of pain that were streaking through her knee. Obi-wan, however, soon noticed the change in her gait, and stopped, putting a hand on her arm.

"Are you alright? Really?" He looked at her knee. "Does it still hurt you?"

She shook her head. "It's fine. It will get better; it's just going to take longer because I'm too stubborn to have a fake knee." His hand was warm against her bare skin and she felt a shiver run through her body. She thought that he felt it too, because he pulled away from her and cleared his throat.

"You shouldn't endanger your health like this."

"I can't live my life that way," she replied, opening the door that led to the corridor where the Padawan quarters were located. "I have to do what is right, not what is easy." _Like caring for you, _she thought. They reached her door, and she turned to look at him. "Thank you, Obi-wan. I had a good time tonight; I hope it wasn't too loathsome for you."

Instead of answering her immediately, he ran his hand through his hair. "What did you mean, the other day," he said slowly. "About the Force and love being one and the same?"

She hesitated. "'The Force is an energy that surrounds us, and binds us all together,'" she recited after a moment. "So is love. Love makes the galaxy turn, for good or for ill. There is a light side and dark side to the Force, as love can bring you to the greatest heights of joy or the deepest pits of despair." An image of Jonas lying in her arms sprang to her mind and she was startled by the tears that did not fall. "I am young, I realize, and I don't know many things; but this I know to be true." She faced him. "Love is the law of all beings, love is the will behind the Force. It can help or hurt; it's all in how you act on it. In fact-"

His mouth was on hers before she had finished speaking and she found herself unable and unwilling to resist. It was not like the other times they had kissed; there was a certain edge of desperation in his movements that she had never felt before. She put her hands on his cheeks, felt his arms wrap around her. It was another few moments before they fell into her quarters, fumbling for the latch that would lock the door before they were approaching her bed, their clothing piling in heaps around their feet.

It was not awkward, like she'd always heard it would be, nor was it painful; the only problem that they had was that it was over too quickly, though it was a simple matter to begin the process again and again and again. By the time the sun began to trickle through the window, Kali was certain that they'd become quite proficient in the act of love and expressed as much to Obi-wan, who, in response, nuzzled her neck and inhaled deeply.

"That tickles," she said, her voice breaking into laughter.

"That's the point." His reply was muffled by her skin before he looked up and smiled at her.

"What is it?"

"You're so beautiful," he replied, reaching up to touch her cheek. "I always wanted to tell you, but..." A quiet beeping sound from her desk made them both start. "What time is it?" he asked, turning to look for his chronometer that had most likely been displaced on the floor with the rest of his clothes.

Kali had slipped out of the bed and opened her calendar, her stomach dropping when she saw the time. "_Blast it!_ We were supposed to be in morning meditation an hour ago!" They exchanged one frantic look before they fell into a flurry of clothes-gathering; there was concern over one of Obi-wan's boots that they couldn't locate, but soon enough they were each as presentable as they were going to get. Kali poked her head out of her quarters first, once the coast was clear, she waved Obi-wan out. "We shouldn't arrive together,"she said. "You go first and I'll come later-I'll say that my knee was acting up or something."

"You are remarkably adroit at this kind of deception," he remarked before he entered the corridor. She frowned but he shook his head and kissed her once more. "Just a joke, calm down," he said with a grin just as he slipped out.

"Arrogant," she hissed at him, though she felt an idiotic grin split her face as she watched him hurry off. It was well enough that she would come after him, as she still had to find her Padawan clothes and put away her "civilian clothes," as she had taken to thinking of the garments she wore at the nightclub. Luckily she had some clean robes and her boots weren't scuffed too badly; she considered taking the crutches, but decided that would be pushing her luck, as she hadn't needed them in a while. _Hopefully it will be someone like Master Torren, or Master Ro leading the mediation, _she thought as she hurried to the chambers. _They're both pretty laid-back. _However, when she reached the area where the session was taking place, she saw with dismay that it was Master Windu who was leading the group of Padawans and initiates. As she took her place in the back of the group, she could almost feel the waves of disapproval radiating off of him.

Suffice it to say that she was unable to focus properly for the duration of the session; eventually she gave up and simply tried to relax and still her mind, hoping to quell the thoughts and recent memories that kept surfacing. When the session finally ended, she dawdled for a moment with her knee, rubbing it in small, circular motions that sometimes helped the pain. It was not exactly a lie that it had been bothering her, so she hoped that the Master wouldn't see right through her. Part of her brain noted that Obi-wan slipped out of the room without a reprimand, which gave her some hope.

"Padawan Halcyon," Master Windu's voice resonated in the room. Kali rose to her feet and went to stand before him,her heart threatening to hammer through her chest.

"Yes Master?"

His dark eyes regarded her for several long moments. "Is your knee still not healed?"

She shook her head. "It is still in the healing process, Master Windu. I suppose it is taking longer than it should-though I am doing my physical therapy every day." To illustrate, she lifted her leggings out of her boot and showed him the bright pink scar, shiny with the new skin that had at last grown over the wound.

Master Windu nodded. "Keep it up." Hoping that a dismissal was forthcoming, Kali nodded, but he continued to look at her. "I have some potential candidates for you," he said after a moment. "For your new Master."

It was not what she had expected, so she was temporarily stunned into silence. Though he must have sensed her thoughts, he continued as if he had not. "I have a mission coming up, but I expect to have a decision in the next two weeks. You will be notified." With this he nodded again, a real dismissal that made her turn and exit the room silently. "One more thing, Kalinda," he said as she reached the door. "You will report to Quartmaster Berrick for your detention, and you are not to be late again. Is that clear?"

Kali turned and met his dark gaze. "Yes, Master."

* * *

Obi-wan had been given the same punishment, so it appeared that their ruse had worked, as she was certain they would not have been put together if anyone knew of the Padawans' connection. As far as detentions went it was fairly painless; Berrick was grateful to have help sorting and organizing the vast array of supplies that he kept on hand, so grateful, in fact, that he left the two of them to themselves while he checked his logs-or something, as Kali had not paid much attention to the elderly Jedi as he shambled out of the room. The work that should have been tedious and unpleasant was made much more interesting with the addition of a few games friendly competition; presently, they were racing each other to finish sorting the standard equipment that each Jedi had to take on every mission.

Obi-wan was winning.

"Done!" he crowed, gesturing to the stack of rebreathers, neatly gathered and organized, the shelf dusted. Kali glared at him and looked at her own stack of comm units, still scattered and messy. "Don't worry," he said, moving over to where she sat. "I'm sure that you'll be done soon enough."

"We can't leave until it's all done," she pointed out. "Since this is the last of it, maybe you should help."

He flopped down next to her and began picking through the comms. "It would go faster if you wouldn't listen to the recordings on each blasted one, you know."

She shrugged. "It's interesting. I mean, it's not like there's anything sensitive on one of these-just notes and things-Berrick is supposed to erase them anyway." To illustrate her point, she hit the playback button on the comm in her hand. Master Yoda's voice sounded tinny coming from the device.

"_Inform the Council, I must, of this most recent development on Mandalore. A Jedi team, we should send."_

"Mandalore," Obi-wan said, wrinkling his nose. "I hope they don't send me and Qui-gon."

Kali dropped the comm in place with the others. "That reminds me," she said. "Master Windu told me that they have some candidates in mind to be my new master."

Obi-wan looked at her, excitement on his features. "But that's wonderful! You were worried about it, as I recall..."

"He didn't say who, though," she replied, toying with another comm.

"Well, I'm sure he had a good reason, Kali," Obi-wan said, setting another three comms in the holder. "Come on, there's only that one left."

Absently, she flipped the playback switch to "on."

"_I am afraid."_

It was Jonas' voice. Every muscle in her body grew still; she was barely aware of Obi-wan sitting beside her, of the uncomfortable way her boot rested below her thigh, or the sweat that had started to form in her palm. "_Non is vicious, cruel, and utterly unpredictable. I asked the Council to let me leave Kali behind, but they have said that she should come along-they do not believe the mission will end badly, as I do. My only consolation is the presence of Qui-gon and his Padawan; hopefully they will turn the odds in our favor. But despite this, I am afraid, for the one thing that I cannot lose is the one thing that I must bring." _The recording ended abruptly, the silence that ensued was marred by the increasing pace of her heartbeat that drummed in her ears.

Obi-wan's hand on her arm startled Kali out of her reverie. He said her name hesitantly, gauging her reaction; a look of relief crossed his face when she nodded to him and gave a faint smile.

"I'm fine," she said, getting to her feet. "Come on, we only have that one area to go through before we're done."

* * *

Later that night Kali lay in her bed, unable to quell the restlessness that seethed within her body. A dozen times she got up, paced to the window, to the door, to the 'fresher, before falling back in bed, attempting the sleep that refused to come. Finally she gave up on the pretense altogether and tried to absorb herself in one of her datapads, but that offered little distraction from the thoughts circling in her mind. The datapad clattered to the floor as she slipped out of her door and tiptoed down the corridor.

The Temple was so quiet at night; it was one of the things that she loved about the night, the fact that there was no one around, how it felt like she was the only person left in the entire place. When she reached his door she did not even pause to knock, she simply let herself in-like most of the others, he didn't keep his door locked, though she rectified that-and stripped off her robes, climbing in beside him before he was fully awake and aware of her presence.

"Kali?" His words were punctuated by a yawn. "What are you doing here?"

"I can't sleep," she replied, resting her head against his warm shoulder.

He said something else, intelligible, as her ear was pressed against his skin, and ran his hand across her back.

"What?"

"I said I'm glad to see you," he said, smiling at her. "Even though you're going to get me in so much trouble for this."

"Because you're clearly against it," she replied, nestling closer, feeling the heat from his body spreading to her own like a balm; sooner than she would have anticipated she let out a yawn and felt her eyelids dropping down.

* * *

The next week or so continued on in a much similar fashion, though Kali was unable to push the recording from her mind. Her days she spent in the proper, segmented order of training, meditation and other classes, playing the part of dutiful Padawan and wondering if a new Master would ever be assigned to her.

As for her nights...

Well.

At first Obi-wan did not frequent the _Chrysalis_, as he did not like sneaking out of the Temple, but by the third night she was pleased to see his familiar face in the crowd that had gathered to hear the music; that night was also the first night with the Wookie keyboard player, who was surprisingly talented, more so than Kali or Dex had realized. The crowd loved her, and Kali found that Lirra was starting to warm up to the idea of performing on a regular basis. _Soon they won't need me at all, _she thought as she sat at the bar with Obi-wan about a week later, watching the others perform. The thought gave her a small pang.

During one of the breaks, before she was scheduled to go on next, Kali felt an odd trickle of apprehension behind her; a darting look at Obi-wan showed that he felt it too. Glancing around, she saw a tall, slender Nemoidian step into the club and approach the stage, his eyes darting around furtively.

Lirra, who had returned to her post behind the bar, offered him a solicitous smile. "Welcome to the _Chrysalis, _sir. Can I get you something?" He approached the bar and spoke with the Twi'lek; after a moment of hushed conversation, she glanced over at Kali, confusion on her violet features. Kalinda took that as her cue and headed over to the pair, Obi-wan beside her.

"Kam," Lirra said, a tremor in her lilting voice. "This gentleman has a message for you."

Kalinda fixed her gaze on the Nemoidian. "Yes?"

"You are Kamala?"

"Perhaps," she said, crossing her arms. "Who wants to know?"

"I have a message for you," he said, holding out a holochip in a trembling hand. "Please...take it."

She glanced at him, but made no move to take the small object. "From whom? You?"

"I'm just the messenger," he whispered, shaking his head. "Just take it, please! You'll find out what you need to know, I promise. I just don't want to be involved anymore!"

Lirra glanced at Kali, worry written plainly across her face, but Kalinda kept her expression cool. "I'm sorry, I need more information..." At her words, he squeezed his eyes shut, and dropped the device to the floor, turning to race out the door in the next instant; Obi-wan almost followed him, but Kali stopped him with a touch on his arm, unwilling to blow their cover by using the Force to catch up with the surprisingly swift Nemoidian. Instead, she bent to retrieve the holochip from the ground, studying it carefully.

"What was that all about?" Lirra said, her _lekku _twitching with agitation.

Kali shrugged. "Who knows? Probably spice-addled." She pocketed the chip and smiled at the Twi'lek. "Still, better see if he needs help. You think Joyle will mind if I cut out early tonight?"

Several minutes later, Kali and Obi-wan left the club and headed into the night. The Nemoidian had long since fled and it was another hour or two before the Padawans gave up trying to not track him down. "We should go back," Obi-wan said at last as they watched rows of Coruscant citizens pass below then from their perch on the ledge of a building. "I don't want to push our luck any more than we already have."

Kali frowned, but nodded. They began to make their way back to the Temple, realizing too late that neither of them had any credits to get a taxi; it was a long walk. By the time they reached the Temple it was well past midnight and the streets were silent and calm, as they usually were in the hours before dawn. "I'm too tired for the stairs," Kali said, pointing to the turbolift. "Come on."

"But what if someone sees us?"

She sighed. "At this point, all I want to do is get to my room and fall into bed." Obi-wan followed her to her door, pausing before it for a moment, looking uncertain. "What is it?" she asked.

"I just...wanted to tell you, how much I've enjoyed this past...well...time." He frowned at the awkwardness of his words. "Blast it, Kali. You know I'm not good with...around you, I just feel like I'm all knees and elbows, you know?"

"Well, you do a good job of hiding it," she replied, trying not to smile. "But I feel the same way."

He nodded, looking a bit more relaxed. "I think that you're right, about the Force and love. This," he took her hands in his, met her eyes with his own. "This feels _right _somehow. I feel passion for you, yes, but I am not blinded by it-it gives me strength." He moved closer to her, put his hands on either side of her face. "What I'm trying to say is that I love you."

She felt her throat tightened even as a grin came across her face. "I love you too, Ben."

The kiss was gentle and strong and unlike anything else she'd experienced, and Kali felt like she could disappear in the happiness of that moment.

Suddenly, a throat cleared behind them and they broke apart instantly, their faces red and flustered. Qui-gon stood behind them, arms crossed, with a disapproving look on his already serious face. He activated the door to Kali's quarters and gave them a silent signal to enter, which they did. The door hissed shut and there was absolute silence for several heartbeats while the two Padawans awaited Qui-gon's words. After a moment he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I don't know what to say," he said with a shake of his head. "What are you doing? Both of you?"

"It's my fault," Kali and Obi-wan said simultaneously, glancing at each other in surprise.

Qui-gon gave a bitter laugh and leaned against the wall, arms crossed, regarding them. After a moment Kalinda spoke first. "I was out past curfew, Master. Obi-wan came to find me, to bring me back to the Temple, and we..." She frowned. "I know that it's against the Code, but the Force-"

"I heard much of what was said," the Jedi interrupted. "We'll discuss_ that_ later, have no doubt. Obi-wan, what have you to say?"

"When I realized that she wasn't here, I went to find her and return her to the Temple," he replied, his voice wavering slightly under the force of Qui-gon's ire. "I...I know I shouldn't have snuck out. I'm sorry, Master."

Qui-gon sighed, his eyes closing for a moment. "You both have been warned about this behavior in the past-Obi-wan, you most recently-and yet you continue to defy one of the most basic, fundamental principles of the Order to which you have both sworn your lives. I do not understand..." He trailed off and looked pensive. Kali was desperate to look at Obi-wan, but decided that it would be best to keep her gaze locked on the edge of Qui-gon's tunic, which was fraying slightly. After a long moment he sighed again, ran his hand through his hair. "Kalinda, I realize that you are going through a difficult time, but you must think about your actions, about how they could affect you and Obi-wan. My Padawan, you must also do the same. I'm not going to say anything about this...indescretion, for now." He looked at them both. "But if I catch either of you in such an embrace again, I _will_ inform the Council. Is that clear?"

"Yes Master," Obi-wan said with a nod.

Kalinda nodded but made no response. Qui-gon glanced at his apprentice. "You should try to get a few hours sleep-you'll need it for the day ahead." Obi-wan grimaced, but slipped out of the room without another look back, leaving the Qui-gon and Kali to observe one another. After a moment, Qui-gon spoke. "Where were you?"

"The Chrysalis." Qui-gon cocked his eyebrow and Kali sighed. "It's a restaurant downtown. I was performing." She raised her chin and tried to slow the frantic thrumming of her heart.

"Performing?"

"It...helps," she said, spreading her hands when at a loss for a better word. "I'm not hurting anyone, Master. Nor am I breaking any part of the Code, as far as I know." She met Qui-gon's gaze.

"Be that as it may," he replied. "Sneaking around in the middle of the night, going to a bar to play music in front of seedy characters...none of it looks good, Kali. The Council must be informed." He raised his eyebrows and she thought that she detected a trace of sorrow in his eyes. "It helps you?"

She nodded. "I feel...sometimes I can't breathe in the Temple. I can't think. But when I'm onstage..." A smile toyed with her corners of her mouth. "It's better...I don't know. None of them know I'm a Padawan," she added. "And I donate my portion of the money to charities-anonymously."

"Kali," he said, "You must understand...I cannot keep this from the Council. I will come get you tomorrow morning and we will go to them together. Is that clear?"

Again, she nodded. "As you wish, Qui-gon."


	10. Chapter 10

It was not until later, when she was tossing and turning in her bed that she remembered the holochip that the frightened Nemoidian had brought to her. When she activated it, the grinning visage of Non looked at her, his eyes empty and black; his voice shattered her fragile peace and sent her back to that mission, that night, that moment, which she had tried so hard to forget.

"Hey there, sugar!" He waved in an almost friendly manner, as though greeting her on the street. "Hopefully you got this message, otherwise that little frog-man is toast. Ah, who am I kidding? He's toast no matter what!" Non tilted his head to one side, putting his chin in his hand in an exaggerated motion of thoughtfulness. "Now, where was I? Oh yes. So, now that your teach is out of the way, what say you and I play a little game, hmmm? By now you know I take my games _very _seriously, so I think you'll play along. Won't you?" He paused and bent to pick something up. It was a picture of a little girl, a Togratan. "She's a cutie, isn't she? Force-sensitive, so they say. Anyway, I think you should meet me at the coordinates at the end of this message, ASAP, or this little girl..." He held up the picture and tore it in two, slowly, his hollow eyes fixed on Kali's. A giggle escaped his throat as he waved goodbye, letting the pieces of the picture flutter out of the frame. "Don't bring any of your Jedi buddies, either! That wouldn't be fair at all! Bye bye!"

A series of coordinates appeared-from Couruscant, no less- then the transmission ended.

Kali, who had been standing in the middle of her room, held perfectly still for several moments, inhaling and exhaling in one of the meditations that she had done her entire life. She felt a strange calm wash over her, a sense of certainty and utter _rightness _that accompanied her single thought: _I know what I must do. _It took her only a few minutes to gather what supplies she needed: cloak and boots; the pack that came with her on every mission, filled with spare food tablets and other necessities that she had never unpacked from her last mission; Jonas' lightsaber, which she had managed to keep after his death, clipped to her belt offered her a measure of comfort.

At the entrance to the stairs, she paused; her instincts told her that going alone was not a wise thing, but she was reluctant to involve anyone else. _Still, _she thought, toying with the hem of her robe. _I should at least tell someone where I'm going...just in case. _With that thought in mind, she hurried to Obi-wan's room, however, as she raised her hand to rap at his door, something made her pause. _No. I __should do this alone. I can't get him in any more trouble than I have. _Shoulders squared, she slipped down the stairs, moving as quietly as she could, her mind running over the next bit of her fragmented plan; since she didn't have enough fare to take her to the destination, she'd have to work something else out. _Perhaps someone is at the club, _she thought as she exited the Temple, glancing around carefully before taking the final steps onto the street. _Or _m_aybe I can contact Dex? _

"Kali!"

She whirled around, her mouth dropping open as a rumpled and restless-looking Obi-wan appeared from the shadows, incredulity written across his features. "What are you doing? Do you _want _to get kicked out?"

"I should ask you the same thing," she replied. Quickly, she explained the holochip, feeling for it in her pocket. "Blast! I must have left it in my room...anyway, there's not much time. Ben," she looked at her friend. "He's holding a hostage-and he wants me to come. Alone. I must try."

Obi-wan shook his head. "That's insane. I'll get Qui-gon- you can't do this alone!"

She put her hand on his arm. "The more we delay, the more danger that little girl is in. I believe him when he says he'll kill her." Fear flooded her, but she kept it at bay.

"You can't do this, you'll be expelled from the Order," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "Please, let me get someone else."

"I can't. This is taking too long as it is."

He nodded, swallowing thickly. "Very well. Where do we have to go?"

"We?"

The infuriating smile was back, tempered by worry, though it still made her heart skip a beat or two. "You don't think I'm letting you go alone, do you?" It was his turn to put a hand on hers.

"But you could be expelled too! Ben, it's not fair!"

He shrugged. "I can let you go and very likely see you killed. Or I can go with you, and we can both be thrown out of the Temple for our disobedience. It doesn't seem like much of a choice."

She glared at him. "I'm perfectly capable to handle this on my own, Obi-wan. Besides, we have to play by his rules, for now, anyway." Even as she said them, the words felt hollow.

"I will make myself scarce," he replied. "And if you need me, I'll be there. Also," he wiggled his hand in the pocket of his tunic. "I had a few credits in my room that may come in handy. So, where are we going?"

Beaming, Kalinda kissed him. "You're crazy and I love it," she whispered, grinning despite herself, before the two Padawans scurried into the darkness.

* * *

Qui-gon opened his eyes, the slanted light from the meditation chamber fracturing his features as he listened, or rather, _felt _what the Force was telling him. _Obi-wan has left the Temple, _he thought. The realization should have caused him some measure of alarm, but he had trained for his entire life to remain calm in the face of any kind of disaster, even a miniature one. _Kali has gone, too_, he realized as his awareness expanded. With a sigh, he uncrossed his legs and stood up, heading to the chambers of the senior members of the Council. He did not have to rap on Mace Windu's door, as the man had sensed his presence and was waiting for him.

"Master Jin," Mace said, a question implied in his tone.

"My Padawan has gone missing, along with another student," Qui-gon began. He explained what he knew and Mace nodded.

"I have been keeping tabs on Kalinda for some time," he replied, putting a hand to his chin in thought. Noticing Qui-gon's incredulity he raised a brow. "I wanted to know exactly what kind of person my future Padawan is," he explained.

"_Your_ Padawan?" Qui-gon frowned. "You know what she's been up to? You knew she was sneaking out? Why did you not stop her?"

Mace nodded again before stepping out the door and striding down the corridor. "I want to see what she'll do. Come," he said, beckoning to the other Jedi. "We should be there in case things do not go as well as I hope."

* * *

"Do you have a plan, or are we just running blind?"

Kalinda threw up her hand as an air taxi slowed beside them, giving the driver the address of the _Chrysalis. _"I'm working on it." As a matter of fact, an idea _had_ occurred to her, a wild thing that had begun beating at the frayed edges of her mind. They said nothing else to one another until they reached the club, stepping out of the taxi and into the chill of the early morning air; the club was close, naturally, but Kali walked past it, down the street to the right.

"We're not going to the _Chrysalis?_" His voice was hushed. Their footfalls were nearly silent against the sidewalk as they hurried along.

Kali shook her head. "No. I just didn't have the right address...but it's not far. Hold on..." She paused in front of a weathered-looking tenement, studying the address. After a moment she nodded to herself and buzzed one of the numbers by the door. There was no reply, so she tried again.

"Who lives here?"

"_Hello?"_

Despite her nerves, Kali smiled. "Lirra? It's me. I'm sorry to bother you, but I need help...will you let me in, please?"

There was a long pause before the Twi'lek replied. "Are you hurt, Kam?"

"No," Kali answered. "But I'm kind of in a hurry." The light by the number turned green, and the two Padawans slipped inside the building. Obi-wan looked at her as they hurried to the turbo lift but said nothing, though she could see the doubt in his eyes. She glanced at her wrist only to see that she'd forgotten her chronometer, so she grabbed his arm to read his.

"Did he give you a time frame?" Obi-wan's voice was quiet.

She shook her head. "No. But..."

He nodded and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "We'll be in time."

A faint smile crossed her face, but she made no reply as the lift halted and they exited on Lirra's floor, where the violet-skinned Twi'lek was waiting for them, dressed in a fuzzy green robe with a perplexed expression. "Kam? What are you..." she trailed off as the Padawans stood before her. "Oh. You're a Jedi? I didn't..." she sighed. "You'd better come inside. My roommate's not in," she added as she ushered them into the modest apartment. As soon as the door closed, Lirra crossed her arms and gave Kali and Obi-wan a stern look. "What is going on here, Kam? What's wrong? Why did you lie about being a Jedi?"

Kalinda sighed and ran her hand through her hair. "I'm so sorry to bother you, Lirra, but I need to find Elek. I have...a business proposition for him. As for me being a Jedi, well," she shrugged. "I didn't lie-no one ever asked me if I was or not. If you had, I would have told you." She frowned. "I'm pretty sure that Dex knows, anyway."

Lirra inhaled deeply, her _lekku _twitching. "What kind of business would you have with Elek?"

With another sigh, Kali explained the situation to the Twi'lek, who looked more incredulous with every word, her eyes darting to Obi-wan occasionally. Finally she closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead with her fingertips. "Look, I know it's a long shot, but I don't know what else to do," Kali finished, fidgeting with the hem of her robe. "Please, Lirra. I'm not sure what else to do."

"What's your real name?"

Kali blanched, then flushed deeply. "Kalinda Halcyon. Kamala was my mother's name."

At this, Obi-wan gave her a startled look, which she ignored as she watched Lirra. "Will you help me?"

After a moment, the Twi'lek sighed and nodded, pulling out her personal comm from her pocket. "Elek?" she said, glancing at Kali. "Are you busy?"

* * *

_What are they doing? _Qui-gon thought as he watched his Padawan and Kalinda hurrying away from the tenement. He glanced at Mace Windu, standing beside him on the landing platform that overlooked the street. "I hope you know what you're doing, Master," he said, his voice quiet.

His companion made no reply, merely nodded in the direction that the Padawans were headed. "I think they're going to meet him now," he said. "Come on." Leaping from building to building, the Jedi were able to keep within sight of the Padawans, though they were careful to keep their Force-presences masked. Finally, after almost an hour, the Padawans stopped before what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse. Qui-gon and Mace crept close enough to hear them, using the Force to magnify their hushed words.

"Are you sure this is the place?" Obi-wan asked, glancing around.

"Doesn't it look like the kind of place a mass-murderer would take a kidnapped child?" Kalinda replied, stepping to the door. "Now, make yourself scarce. You know the plan."

Qui-gon could feel his Padawan's hesitation. "I don't want you to get hurt," he said to her.

Kalinda shook her head. "Please, Ben. Go hide. I'll call you if I need you."

Obi-wan touched her cheek. "I will always come for you." With that, he slipped into the shadows and out of sight. After a moment, Kalinda activated the warehouse door and stepped inside.

Mace glanced at Qui-gon. "We'll split up. You follow your Padawan while I enter through the back." He frowned.

"What is it?"

"A disturbance in the Force," the dark-eyed Jedi replied. "Something is very wrong here. We were right to come."

"We should never have let them go alone."

Mace's brow lifted. "That's why we didn't."

* * *

The warehouse was a yawning chasm, darkened despite the encroaching dawn; memories of Echothalia's caverns flooded Kalinda's mind as she stepped through the massive room, using the Force to enhance her awareness-at one point, a familiar presence flickered on the edge of her mind, but she dismissed it in the next moment, when she saw the child. She was tied to a broken crate, her body splayed over the top, hanging limp like a rag doll. "No," Kali breathed, leaping forward to reach the little girl. The moment she crossed the middle of the room, a spray of darts hissed from the ceiling, narrowly missing her as she managed to roll away at the last moment. While she got to her feet, she heard the same, sickening giggle that she recognized far too well, and an image of Jonas, bloody and broken, entered her mind. Grimacing, she tried to push the thought away, to focus on the _here _and _now. That's all that matters, _she thought as she approached the child, repeating the words in her head like a mantra.

However, when she reached the girl she realized her mistake. It was a toy of some kind, whose false eyes looked at her blankly. Kali felt her blood turn cold as she heard footsteps behind her; she turned slowly, her hand on her saber-on Jonas' saber, which she had taken as her own-and faced Non.

He was dressed as he had been before, though he seemed larger to her somehow, despite the fact that he was rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet, glancing around the room with a casual nature that contrasted with the thudding of Kalinda's heart. She raised her chin.

"Non," she said, fighting to keep her voice steady. "You are under arrest for the mu-"

"My dear girl," he interrupted, approaching her with his hand outstretched. "I can't believe that you betrayed me." His gloved hand moved over his heart. "And after everything we've been through, too. I'm deeply hurt."

She narrowed her eyes, but took a step back. "You will stay where you are," she replied. "You will surrender yourself, Non, or you won't live to see the next day." She ignited Jonas' saber, the brilliant yellow glow filling the space around her.

This set him off into a fit of squealing laughter. "Are you going to kill me, Kali? That's not very Jedi-ey of you."

Her jaw tightened. "I should."

His mask grinned at her, the mouth empty and black. "Ah, sweet revenge! But you won't, I know that. You're a coward, like Blondie. He had potential, though," Non added, putting a hand to his chin. "I'll give him that. But he was weak, as you all are weak." These last words were injected with venom. "I thought you might be promising, but not so much, not after the busted knee, hmmm?"

Her saber hummed. "I'm giving you one last change to surrender, Non," she said, though her voice was shaking. "If you turn yourself in-"

She was not prepared for how quickly he sprang at her, nor the series of small bombs that he tossed behind him in the instant before his hand closed about her throat. She felt a small prick of pain in her neck even as the rest of the warehouse ignited in yellow and orange flame; her thoughts grew muddled and muggy as she swayed. Non watched her, his masked face close to her own; she could feel his breath against her skin.

"That's it," he cooed. "Sleep..."

An image of Jonas sprang to her mind as the blackness started to overtake her. _Kali, _he said, _Kali, don't give in to him! You are stronger than you think; you can do this. I am so proud of you..._She felt a hand on her shoulder, heard the sound of boots over the duracrete floor, opened her eyes to see Non's face inches from her own. With all of the strength she could muster, she gathered the Force around her and pushed him away from her, towards the flames that were starting to die down. She held her saber at his throat, raising her comm to her face as she spoke. "Elek? Now would be good."

Non's legs were longer than she had anticipated and he leveled a blow at her injured knee, causing her to shriek and collapse, dropping her saber to where it rolled out of her grasp. He was beside her in the next moment, a small blaster held over her heart. "Another dead Jedi," he mused. "How predictable."


	11. Chapter 11

From his perch in the rafters of the warehouse, Obi-wan gritted his teeth as he watched Kali raise her saber at the terrorist. He wanted to leap down to her rescue, but she had been adamant about her plan, hastily conceived as it was. "Come on, Kali," he muttered, sweat starting to trickle down his forehead. "Give the signal."

"Padawan."

Qui-gon's voice nearly caused him to lose his balance as he whirled his head around to see his Master, crouching-uncomfortably-upon a series of rafters several meters from where he stood. "Master?"

Qui-gon frowned. "Mace is not far."

"But..." In that moment, a booming noise shuddered through the warehouse as a series of small explosions detonated below them, sending up a wave of heat. _Kalinda, _Obi-wan thought, releasing his grip and using the Force to guide his descent away from the flames. He hit the floor running, heedless of his Master's urgent voice in his mind. _Kali..._

_

* * *

_

Anger coursed through her as she stared at the man who had murdered so many innocents, the man who had taken her father from her. Kalinda felt a dark, roiling ripple of power within her as she focused on her anger, causing her eyes to widen. _The dark side, _she thought, her eyes locked on Non. _It feels...strong. I feel powerful. _He seemed to sense the change in her, his giggling laughter incongruous with the fact that he was pressing a blaster to her jaw.

"Here it is, dollface," he whispered, moving his other hand to caress her cheek. "The only thing you have to live for now is a quick death."

Her mind grew blank with fear, until she heard her name, as clearly as if Obi-wan was shouting it in her ear, and something within her broke. Some floodgate opened and she felt a calm sense of purpose settle over her. Using the Force, she tossed the blaster from his hand and knocked him back, calling her saber to her hand in the next moment as she held it as his throat. "Surrender, Non," she said, though her voice was cracked and weak.

He looked at her. "Kill me first."

"Kali, don't!" Obi-wan was running to her, the edges of his robes were singed by the flames. "Don't do it!" Qui-gon was behind him a moment later, his eyes fixed on Kalinda.

"I second that," another voice said. A Togrutan male stepped from the shadows, his blaster rifle trained on Non. "Good work, Kam...I mean Kali...er, whatever. He's worth more alive than dead."

"Elek," she breathed. "You're late."

The bounty hunter shrugged. "Close enough." He raised his rifle and fired, sending a bolt of energy toward the criminal, causing his eyes to roll back in his head briefly as he fell at her feet, stunned, though he managed one last glance at her.

"Clever girl."

Kalinda ignored him, instead she nodded to Elek. "He's all yours. Good luck." The bounty hunter stepped forward and locked a set of handcuffs around Non's wrists, eying the unconscious terrorist dubiously.

"Kalinda," Mace Windu's voice rose from the other side of the building as the Jedi Master stepped through the dying flames and approached her. He paused before Non's form, regarding him with disdain. "Did you really think that you could sneak out of the Temple and attempt the capture of a galactic terrorist without my knowledge?"

She looked at him, feeling her stomach drop. "Yes." He raised his brow and she winced. "I mean...well, yes, Master. I just...I did what I thought was necessary." She swallowed. "I will accept whatever your decision is, on one condition." The Jedi Master said nothing, but she could feel his incredulity. Her voice trembling, she continued. "Just punish me, Master. Everything was my idea; Obi-wan came along to make sure that I didn't get hurt." She wanted to look away, look down, anywhere but Master Windu's dark gaze.

Finally, he glanced at Elek, who was attempting to drag Non's body towards the exit. "Who is your employer? There is a price on this man's head in many systems."

Elek shook head head, his lekku swaying. "I don't know, Master Jedi, but I know that there are many of my kind who are after him." He sighed. "You're not going to let me take him, are you?"

Master Windu glanced back at Kalinda. "Padawan," he said. "What would you do with him?" He nudged Non's form with the toe of his boot.

_Padawan? _Kalinda looked at Non and tried to seek the grief and anger she'd felt earlier; an image of Jonas entered her mind, but it was not his last moments; rather, it was a distant memory from her childhood, when he was teaching her to play the viol, his laughter reverberating in her mind. _He left me with only hope and happiness, _she thought, _I must honor that. But..._

"Take him, Elek," she replied, turning to leave, a slight limp in her left knee. "I don't want to think about him any more."

* * *

The news that an inexperienced bounty hunter had captured one of the most notorious killers in the Core disseminated through the galaxy in less than a standard day, though there was no mention of the Jedi's involvement. Later, Kalinda would hear of Non's eventual execution by one of the rulers of a system whose name she forgot almost instantly; presently, however, she was standing in the Council chambers as the rest of her life was decided.

_No, _she thought suddenly. _I decide my own fate; with every choice that I make. Now it's time to deal with what remains. _

Master Gallia was speaking. "We have listened to your account of the incident, Kalinda, as well as Qui-gon's and Obi-wan's. Do you have anything to add?"

She paused, collecting her thoughts. "I accept whatever decision that you make, Masters," she said, her voice quiet. Frowning, she cleared her throat before continuing. "But in my heart, I know that I did the right thing; I suppose that will have to be enough for me, once I leave here."

The chamber was silent.

"Padawan Halcyon," Mace Windu's voice caused every pair of eyes to focus on him. "You have proven yourself to be willful, defiant, and unwaveringly firm in your convictions. Do you deny this?"

Her face fell. "No, Master."

"And do you deny that you have acted rashly and foolishly, Padawan?"

Heat rose to her cheeks. "No. But..." She swallowed and raised her eyes to his. "If I have acted so, it is because I felt I had no other options, Master."

"Explain."

"Jonas died in my arms," she said, clenching her fists below her robes. "And I was left with no one...and when I came before you," she glanced at the others. "I was met with cold silence and an uncertain future. I needed help that I did not get; so I sought it on my own." Her eyes closed, briefly. "I'm not saying that you didn't do what you felt was right, but it wasn't right for me. I made my own way." Master Windu regarded her, his face smooth and silent. "Being a Jedi has been all that I've ever wanted to do from the first moment I can remember, but if you kick me out now, I will continue on as best I can; I will continue to do what I know is right. That much Jonas taught me; that is what being a Jedi has meant to me."

Silence.

_Oh gods, _she thought, _I blew it, didn't I?_

_

* * *

_

Obi-wan was waiting for her when she returned to her quarters, his face drawn and tense. "What happened?" he asked the moment she slipped in the room.

She did not respond as she stood in the middle of the floor, surveying the mess: clothes and datapads littered the floor; her bed was unmade, the sheets tangled and pillows askew; her desk was filled with the clutter of the past months. Finally she looked up at him. "I'm on probation," she said at last, frowning. "For a year."

His eyes widened. "A year? That long? Even when I left the Order for Melida/Daan, it was only a few months..."

"It's not a normal probation," she explained, sitting on the bed. "I'm to be Master Windu's Padawan, go on missions with him, but if I step out of line..." she shook her head. "I'm out. Forever."

He sat beside her. "At least you're still a Jedi."

A smile spread across her face as she nodded, her hand slipping to Jonas' lightsaber clipped at her side. "At least there's that. What about you? How angry is Qui-gon?"

Obi-wan sighed. "Pretty angry, though he's all silent and cold-I'd rather he shouted at me, to tell you the truth-this is much worse." He grimaced. "I have cleaning duties for the next three months. And I'm not to see you anymore," he admitted.

She nodded. "Same here. Did he tell them about...us? Master Windu didn't reprimand me about forming an attachment, so I assumed..."

"I don't think so," he said with a frown. "Though I'm not sure why." He chuckled and leaned back on his hands. "Maybe he feels sorry for us."

At this she laughed and leaned back to put her arm around him. "I doubt it, Ben." They remained so for a moment before he sighed again.

"What are we going to do, Kali?"

In response, she kissed him, feeling the Force spiraling around and through them as she did so; she was filled again with a strange calm, and when their lips parted, she gave him a smile.

"I have no idea, Ben," she admitted. "But I'll never stop loving you. No matter what."

He nodded, his face serious as he pulled her to him again. "No matter what."

_The End_


End file.
